Once Again With Love
by Cerulean Rose
Summary: Before he died Kagome and Inuyasha trapped Naraku within a crystal casket, locking him away forever, or so they thought. Now after 5 years a heartbroken Kagome finally returned from the future only to meet her destiny. KagSess
1. Default Chapter

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I don't own Inuyasha, all writings are for entertainment purposes only.

Revised chapter: I have revised this chapter and made some changes. You may want to reread it. This is my first story so please be patience with me. Please enjoy. 

Chapter 1, Part 1

Down the rabbit hole... again

Crying out, Kagome was startled awake_, ~ that dream again, there's always so much blood ~_, how long was it going to haunt her? Four years had pasted since that day, and still the memories refused to release their hold on her. 

Signing, she pulled the blanket up to her chin and rolled onto her back. She had faced losing Inuyasha, when Naraku had hit that last blow mortally wounding Inuyasha, Inuyasha had die in her arms. 

At least, he had finally admitted his love for her when it was to late. Kagome still missed him so much. She stilled missed all her friends Miroku, Sango, Kaede, and Shippo. 

Kagome looked at her bedside clock 3:25, _~ two hours until I have to be up ~._

Kagome looked up at the Tetsusaiga which was hanging on her bed room wall, Inuyasha had given it to her as he lay dying in her arms. She had brought it back with her for two reasons, something to remember Inuyasha by and to keep Sesshoumaru from having it. 

But lately she had started to feel guilty about that, she should have let it for Sesshoumaru after all it was his father's fang, his family inheritances.

But after all this years, she had come to realize that what she really missed was the friendships that she had made. 

Although, Inuyasha would always be her first love, she had finally reached the realization that her mother was right, the pain and heartbreak would fad with time.

What pained Kagome the most was that she hadn't realized how attached she had become to Shippo how he had in a way become her own child until it was to late. She had known she wanted to be his mother, but still losing Shippo had become the pain that wouldn't heal. 

When she had come back, she hadn't realized that she could never go back, because if she had she would have stayed. She had thought that she could see them all whenever she wanted, no she had thought that since she had the jewel or become the jewel (she wasn't really sure which), and she could always go back. 

Becoming depressed, Kagome sighed and choked back the tears, _~ But it didn't worked out like that, did it? After I came back that last time the well had stopped working leaving me stuck here. I broke my promise to Shippo, I promised that I be back. ~_

To take her mind off her problems, she had worked hard and ace her last year of high school and been offered scholarships to two different colleges, not bad for a girl who grandfather use to have to make up excuses for why she was not in school. 

Kagome had recently entered her second year at college and doing very well, so well that she was on the honor rolls and had been offered an internship. Kagome turned onto her side and looked out her bedroom window.

Kagome held her breath for a moment not quite believing what she was seeing and then she shrieked, "What's that!!? Oh, heavens, its the well." She was filled with both dread and hope, as she saw a strange white glow emanating from the well house.

Kagome throw back her covers as she stumbled out of bed and raced to the window. Yes, the white glow was coming from the well house, no not from the well house but through the well house, as if coming from the well. 

She stopped only long enough to grabbed her jeans and a T- shirt, and a pair of shoes. As she ran down the hall to get to the well house she could fill her heart slamming against her rib cage in fright. 

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~ Oh, Kami, what if something's coming through. ~ Kagome stopped at the well house doors with that thought, fear filling her. She took a deep breath before quickly jerking open the door to the well house, and ran inside, her miko powers ready. 

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~ Nada, zilch, nothing here. ~ She thought as she stood on the top step of the well house and looked down at the gray wood that formed the Bone Eater's Well. Yes, the glow was diffidently coming from the well. _~ At least it wasn't a youkai. ~_

~ Is it working again, could it take me back? ~ Panic, she could feel it clawing it way up inside of her. 

Kagome couldn't bring herself to believe that the well was coming alive once more, all Kagome could hear ricocheting though her mind again and again was the thought how was this possible. 

For four years the well had be quiet, and travel though it impossible ever since she and the others had defeated Naraku.

He had been impossible to kill because he had absorbed part of the power of the Shikon no Tama, once the jewel claimed someone it never released them fully, not even to death. When Kagome had finally got the jewel from Naraku, she had purified it and it had absorbed into her body again. 

The scar on her hip was gone along with any other scars she had, they seemed to melt away as the jewel had became part of her once more. She could still remember the rage that had filled Naraku's face as she had destroyed all his work in corrupting the jewel.

The end had come were it had all started at Onigumo cave, now Naraku's tomb. She had then used her powers and the powers that the jewel had given her to create a prison of crystal for Naraku. Trapping him in it forever or so she had thought. 

Kagome had then collapsed the entrance to the cave so that no one could enter. There he should have remained unknowing to others until the end of the time.

The spirit within the jewel had shown her how to create the crystal prison. The spirit that was once Midoriko had taught her many different things within her dreams. 

Kagome sighed, that was another worry that Kagome had because she wasn't sure what had the jewel done to her. She could feel herself changing more every day. She was become, but what she was become, she wasn't sure of.

She was faster now, had better senses, senses that a youkai would be proud of, was much stronger than she had been before and any wound seem to heal very fast. She also had developed many different powers that only a youkai lord should have. She could levitate on the air, and produce energy arrows that she shot from her bow. 

Kagome had also began producing shields that nothing could get though or at least nothing from this age. Her grandfather had tried fire, ice, and even bullets trying to get though them. 

She could also see that her body was changing as well. 

Her body… her fingers nails were developing into claws, her ears were more pointy, her teeth were becoming sharp almost fangs and the scary part to her was the faint marking that were developing on her face and arms. They look so much like Sesshoumaru, except that she didn't have the crescent moon.

She knew what was happening, the spirit of the jewel had told her it might, the jewel was turning her youkai in order to save her life. Too much power had run throughout her body, causing it to began to change or fail. 

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~ Hmm, ~ Kagome thought, _~ Maybe that was why the gate had opened I really didn't belong here any more. Youkai belonged in the past. No, my changes started almost four years ago, why would the gate open up now because of them. ~_

No, it had to be Naraku. I thought that Naraku would never get out. No one could have been foolish enough to release him, could they? ~ Kagome thoughts raced back and forth from one idea to another. 

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~ What could have happened? ~

She could feel the well calling to her, pulling at her. Demanding her attention. Fearfully, she walked to the well and looked into it, _~ What had happened. ~ _

Something or someone was calling her back to the past. She had thought that she had put all of that behind her. She had grieved for them. Kagome gasped and fought to stand still, as another wave of ran over her, she needed to go. 

She could barely stand here the desire to go was so strong, Kagome forced herself to walk to the door, she went to wake her mother.

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…_A lords desires_

Sesshoumaru allowed an anger rumble to leave his mouth, although his anger wasn't allowed to touch his coldly arrogant face, something had called him here, had demanded that he come. It had nagged at him and let him have no rest. 

He, Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, one of the most power youkai lord since his father passing, had been moved to come here, he had developed a overwhelming need to come to this place, in reality he had been forced to come here. 

Sesshoumaru angrily hissed in his mind. He ached with the desire to rip the cause of that desire to pieces.

Completely annoyed, he glided through the cool night air and moved around the well, not caring that his rage was building into almost uncontrollable flames, but in spite of his anger, he could also feel another emotional fire building and drowning out the anger, curiosity.

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~ Why was I compelled to come here, to this place were Inuyasha, the fool, had spent fifty years stuck to a tree? ~

Sesshoumaru gracefully walked over to the tree where Inuyasha had spent the fifty years pinned to, and smirk. He remembered… so much… so many memories, both good and bad. 

Since Inuyasha passing he seemed to be remembering so much of the past, Inuyasha youth, he had been a cute pup. One that had followed his older brother around until Sesshoumaru had been forced to send them away after his fathers death. 

Still, he had never like that bitch. Sesshoumaru knew that she had had to influence the giving of the swords. He was his fathers heir, he deserved…He allowed the memories to slip away. There was no reason to remember the past now it was gone and buried.

Relaxing he sit down and tried to get conformable while he waited for whatever or who ever had called him here. He surveyed the forest and well, while sitting under the canopy of the very tree were Inuyasha had spent 50 years. 

He had left Rin and Jaken at his castle, not knowing what he would find waiting for him here. Then to get here and find that no one was waiting, he would call it frustrating if he allowed him self to get frustrated.

Sesshoumaru, growled in annoyance once more, and allowed his mind to drift to other things. He had always wandered what had happened to Inuyasha's bitch, the living one that he had left behind. 

What had been the girl's name…Kagome, yes that was it, Kagome. Not that he really cared, but she had been an interesting one, her magic that had flowed from her very skin in waves. He had been so interested in her that he had actually bother to learn a human female's name.

He allowed his thought to wander back to that time, he had believed that she had came from the village at the edge of the forest that surround the well, but she had just seemed to disappear after Inuyasha death. 

Sesshoumaru had searched for her briefly because as Inuyasha mate it had been his place to care for he when Inuyasha had died. His honor had demanded it that he care for her until he could find her a new mate.

But the old miko of the village had been told him that she had went away, that no one in the village knew where. He hadn't really believed the old woman but hadn't really tried to find the girl and if she choose to leave, then so be it. He didn't need the aggravation she would cause.

He could just imagine, **HIM**, the great Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, having to play matchmaker to a human girl. The trouble he would have had trying to find that one a mate, as out spoken as she was. 

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~ Though she had been very beautiful for a human. She had also had a very delicate scent, jasmine with a hint of rain. ~

Of course, he probable could have left her to with one of the peasants in that village out side of his domain, giving them a yearly income to keep her, until she mated again.

Calmly, with a relief that he would not allow to show he felt the high level of magic in the air, he watched as a brilliant white light appeared from the well shining up into the night sky.

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~ Something important was coming. ~

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Kagome finished packing her bag, and with a look at her mother pulled her backpack on to her shoulders and looked around one last time. 

She felt so strange, dressed in a rose colored kimono, but it was special, her mother had bought her this one and four others for her birthday. It was like she had known that the well would open. They would allow her to blend in with her surrounding better. 

No one was going to point and snicker at her this time. Although, what she wore beneath the kimono was different from what most women of that era, she had designed the dark blue leather outfit after the costume that Sango had wore to hunt demons in.

Her mother picked up her bow off the bed and handed her. Signing, She looked around to see if she had forgotten any thing. Seeing the Tetsusaiga, Kagome reached up on the wall and pulled it down, she could fix that mistake now if she saw Sesshoumaru. 

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~ It's time, and I think that Inuyasha would understand, I'll give him his sword. ~

Kagome could hear Sota and Grandfather talking in the living room, but she had already said her good bye to them. They both knew that she loved them very much.

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~ I... I think I always knew this day would come, but I hoped it wouldn't. ~ Yuuke Higurashi was desperately against Kagome going back to the Sengoku-Jidal era, after all she was her mother, but she also understood that Kagome felt she had to go. 

She was so young to have all this responsibilities that the kami seem to have stacked on to her thin shoulders. 

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~ I knew that awful jewel would call her back some day. I could just feel it. I knew that we would lose her. ~

Yuuke stood quietly and calmly watched as her daughter, looked around the room one last time to see if she had forgot anything. Kagome would be twenty-two is less than a month, but still she seemed so young to her and she had really just only gotten over Inuyasha. She didn't need this…this insanity again, to open up her old half healed wounds.

"Honey, are you sure that you want to do this? You don't have to." Signing, Yuuke asked Kagome in a worried tone of voice. 

She should have let her father destroy that well as he wanted to. They should of poured concrete down it. What if this time that cursed well didn't return Kagome? She could never see her baby again. "Baby, I…what if this time you can't be come back."

Kagome could see the gray storm clouds of worry gathering in her mother eyes, but didn't know what to say to her. She just knew that she had to go, ever since she had seen that glow coming from the well she knew something….no someone was waiting for her, something very important was going to happen. 

It was a need that she couldn't seem to fight, and the truth be know really she didn't want to fight it. She felt like she was going home after a long exile.

" Mom, don't worry, everything will be OK. I stood up to Naraku once and can do it again." Kagome uneasily lied to her mother, she knew that she wasn't coming back. How she knew she didn't know, but she did know. 

They walked out to the well house, their way guided by that strange white glow that seemed to grow in intensity with each step they took. As they came to the well house door and went though they walked on to the landing of the well, her mother gave her an another troubled smile.

"Kagome, honey, I want you to do something for me, if the well does stop working… I want you to promise me that you'll find someone to love you back there. Don't pine for Inuyasha, anymore. Promise me that you will marry and have children, that you will let someone love you and let yourself love them back." Yuuke rushed out, looking away from Kagome for a minute, she didn't need tears now.

Yuuke cleared her voice, "One other thing, in the Gods tree is that hollow area in the trunk, where we use to leave notes for one another. Leave me a letter there, telling me about your life if you can't come back. Oh, honey, momma will always love you." 

Kagome left her mother standing at the top of the stairs and walked down to the well, it seemed to call her, creating that unstoppable urge to go. She turned back to look at her mom one last time before looking down and said " I love you mom, tell Sota and Grandfather that I love them to. I'll miss you all."

And with that Kagome took one last look at her mother and jumped.

"Goodbye, Kagome," Yuuke voice cracked as her tears fell at last. 

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Part Two

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……………… sleeping beauty

Kagome felt the magic of the well take hold of her, pushing her into the final change. The white light flowed around and slammed though her body seeming to melt it. 

Sobbing, as the painful sensation, that feeling that she was melting went though her body again and again, and was being reforming it into something….. no someone else. 

She could feel the extending of her fingers into claws, her teeth into fangs, and points on her ears. The hardening of her bones went throughout her as they changed to take the punishment that only another youkai could inflict. The tightening of her muscles as they conformed to her knew bone structure. 

Kagome thoughts faltered as pain and more pain washed through her, the last change was made as even her mind transformed as new instinct took over. 

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~ Oh, Kami, I'm being torn in two. ~ Was her last coherent thought as the magic released her on the other side of the well and she screamed as she passed out.

Sesshoumaru hear the agonizing scream of a woman coming from the well, and for a moment he felt the world stop. The voice cut through him, creating a need to go to her a need to save her.

In just seconds, he was up and had quickly leapt to the side of the well and was looking down into the well and saw…how strange. A young woman laying in it. He went over the side and was kneeling beside her almost before he realized it. 

He sniffed the air and breathed in her scent deep into his lungs, her scent was strangely familiar, jasmine and rain, but she was a youkai, an Inu youkai and he had never known a youkai with this scent.

Heat. Her scent was playing havoc with him creating a need to dominate and to protect, a need to… he reeled from the other unfamiliar emotions that were whipping through his body. 

He felt the effects of those emotions surging through his mind and clouding his reasoning. The emotions created a maelstrom of desires, need, and hope, but mostly he felt the need to protect.

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~ Mine. She would be his, and only his. ~ 

He was stocked as the thought raced through his mind. She was lovely, yes…. 

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~ But still ~ he thought _~ I don't react to women like this, with such an intensity of need. One bitch has always been the same as another. ~ _

As he turned her over and brushed her rippling black hair away from her face and was surprised, her markings were very close to his. He seemed to know her and again he felt the familiar feelings of familiarity that he knew this girl, no not a girl but a woman.

Reaching down he picked her up and gather her in his arms, the rage of earlier a distance memory. Protect and need dominated his thoughts now. He had to protect her, others would desire to take her from him. Gathering his youkai, he floated out of the well into the night air, dawn would come soon.

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	2. Chapter Two Friends lost and then return...

I don't own Inuyasha, all writings are for entertainment purpose only and  
not for profit.  
  
Revised Chapter: I will try to up date once a week, but I work and go to school full time so I may take a little longer. I also want to thank my reviewers for their comments.  
  
By the way, I also change the format of the story so that it would be easier to read.  
  
~ Thought ~  
  
"Spoken Word"  
  
Chapter Two  
  
.....Friends lost and then returned.  
  
Within a grotto far away from the Bone Eater's well....  
  
..... The Lady stood in exhausted pain and watched as visions filled the steaming waters of her magical spring. The well and surrounding area appeared before her. She had used so much strength in her bid to bring the girl and Taiyokai together and had little stamina left for what was left undone, ~ they would need each other for what was coming. ~  
  
She silently stood guard as Sesshoumaru arrived, driven there by her enchantment, and she signed in relief and gently released her hold on him. He would not leave now. She had planted the need to be there deep within him. He would stay for his pride would force him to see who could dare to call him forth.  
  
She beheld the appearance of the miko from the future. She stood her vigil as the poor girl's screams of pain cut though the air as the magic wrapped around her. Changing her forever.  
  
The Lady watched as Sesshoumaru took her away. Moaning in relief at finally being able to release her spells, she slowly collapsed to the floor as she allowed the time tunnel though the well to close forever.  
  
Peering in to the spring one last time, the Lady watched as a young kitsune came running up to the well yelling for his Kagome, she allowed a smile to form on her lips as she spoke for the first time. "Don't worry, little one, you'll see your beloved Kagome again." .....  
  
Yet another sneeze filled the inside of the hut. Miroku, Sango, Kaede, and Shippo were seated around the fire in Kaede hut, each of them enjoying the company and the occasional annoyance of the others, as they were worked on the task at hand. Miroku was cutting up vegetables for the soup that Kaede was preparing for dinner.  
  
Sneeze. With a devilish smile, he watched out and of the corner of his eye as his wife's lovely form shifted forward as she leaned into a hands and knees position, she presented a very erotic picture at the moment with her bottom held to the sky.  
  
~ Beautiful, just beautiful. ~ He thought, unable to help himself Miroku reached out his scarred hand... Rub, Rub.  
  
"Hentai," Sango yelled angrily, as she felt something or should she say someone's hand rubbing her bottom, she quickly clubbed him over the head with her fist. Grinning in pleasure for a moment, she watched him fall over on to the ground. ~ Served the pervert right. Just because we're married doesn't give him the right to touch me like that in public.~  
  
"Ow, Sango that hurt, you don't have to hit me anymore. We're married." Miroku moaned, as he rubbed the large lump on his head.  
  
~ Idiot. ~ She thought.  
  
Miroku could almost see the steam coming out of Sango's ears as she glared at him. "You don't touch other people in public like that, you pervert, and you especially don't do them in front of children."  
  
Shippo was laughing and rolling his eyes at the customary interaction between the couple, ~ They had been though this a hundred times before. ~ He was still surprised that Miroku had talked Sango into marrying him, although it had taken him three years.  
  
"Sango, can I go outside until dinner is ready." Shippo asked more to get Sango's attention away from Miroku before she decided to give him even worse than any real desire to go outside. He deliberately sneezed again from the smoke of the fire as he placed a freshly filled kettle of water on the fire.  
  
"Sure, Shippo. Oh, but be back in an hour, the soup should be ready by then. "  
  
Sango looked over at him "Shippo-chan, grab the bucket and get some fresh water from the river while your out." Sango dropped the meat into the water to begin cooking. She watched as Shippo grabbed the bucket and then almost ran out the door, he seems to need to be outside a lot lately.  
  
He was so small still, he could have passed for a five or six-year-old, and unfortunately sometimes he acts even younger. Recently he had pulled a prank on Miroku and Kaede. He had told the pervert that Sango was bathing at the hot spring, knowing that Miroku would sneak to take a peak. When he had got there he had found Kaede and not herself, Sango could remember Miroku's cries of horror as they had rung though the forest.  
  
When he had got back he had pretended that nothing had happened, although every time he looked at Kaede he blushed. Sango hadn't thought the houshi had a blush in him.  
  
She had know that youkai aged differently than humans but had not known just how slowly. Sango signed and remembered the day that Kagome had left, ~ he never really got over her not coming back that day. ~  
  
Flashback  
  
"Gomen, Shippo-chan, don't worry, I be back in three days." Kagome said as she gently hugs Shippo to her chest as they walked to the well. Miroku and Sango walked ahead of Kaede and Kagome who was laughed as they watched Sango tried to evade Mikoru's wandering hands yet again. " And then I won't be leaving much again after that, Shippo-chan, only once in a while to see my family."  
  
"But Kagome, I don't want you to leave. Please stay." Shippo whined, as Kagome handed him to Sango. He had a bad feeling about this.  
  
Kagome watched as a funny look came over Sango's face, then as Hiraikotsu came up and down onto Miroku head. "I be back in three days, Shippo be good for Sango or no candy." Kagome laughed as she walked to the well and jumped in.  
  
After Kagome had jumped in, Kaede and Miroku gasped in horror, as the magic slowly drained from the well.  
  
End Flashback  
  
Sango's head shot up in fear, as she heard Shippo yells coming from the forest. He wouldn't yell unless something was wrong, he must be in trouble. She had promised Kagome-chan that she would take care of him. She grabbed Hiraikotsu and ran in the direction of the forest with Miroku fast on her heels with shakujo.  
  
"Shippo we're coming, we're coming. Sango gashed out as she ran.  
  
Shippo swung the bucket back and forth as he ran towards the forest. He needed to be out here sometimes, the forest called to him.  
  
He frowned, ~ It wasn't that he didn't like the others, but sometimes he needed to be alone, to be a kitsune with nature. I missed Kagome, I was going to ask if I could call her Okka-chan (mother). ~ He bounded in the direction of the well and the Goshinboku tree he always felt better there it reminded him of Kagome and Inuyasha, ~ I wish they were here. ~  
  
Sniffing the air, Shippo eyes widened as the scents in the air filled his lungs, that scent was familiar, very familiar. He had not smelled her scent in four very long years, but he still knew it. But it was also different. ~ Was it...~  
  
"Oh, it is, it's Kagomeeeee............... Kagomeeeee........, Kagomeeee............" Shippo yelled as his ran for the well.  
  
A streak of red and orange lightening, Shippo ran for the well chanting Kagome's name over and over again. Looking around he noticed that the well clearing seemed to be empty except for her scent and...... Something else. Maybe she was still in the well.  
  
Puzzled joy showed on Shippo face as he ran to the Bone Eater's well's edge and looked over. ~ She's not here. She's not in there. ~ Discouragement and tears took over as he sniffed the air, ~ I thought I had smelled her, I know that I smell her. That is her scent, but it's also changed some. There's another scent as well.....SESSHOUMARU!!!! ~  
  
Trying to be courageous for Kagome as he looked around for the Lord of the Western Lands, Shippo growled threateningly and thrust his chest out in a way that hint at the memory of a certain inu hanyou just before he when into battle as his thoughts raced though his head.  
  
~ But she was here, it was Kagome's scent I smell... Hmm, but with something else was mixed in, the smell of youkai. I also smell Sesshoumaru and that something else as well. Kagome was here but someone took her. I have to get the Sango and the others, they'll get her back. ~  
  
Quickly, Shippo turned and started running back the way that he'd come, towards where he could hear Sango and Miroku running toward him. ~ They'll help me find her. And I'll have my family back again. ~  
  
End Chapter two  
  
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	3. Chapter 3 The Lord of the Western Lands

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and any other anime figures wrote of in this story do not belong to me.

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Chapter 3

Sesshoumaru was sprawl gracefully on a chair in one of the darkened corners of his apartments and watched the inu youkai bitch as she slept. She was almost buried in the pillows of his bed. She had lain there unconscious since they had reached the Castle of the Western Lands over three days ago. She should be waking soon, he thought as his eyes roamed over the girl. 

She really was beautiful. 

So very beautiful. 

She was also so very delicate… everything about her screamed delicate. 

From her delicate markings on her face to the small elegance toes of her feet. Her long black hair with blue streaks running though it covered most of her body and hid it from his view. He had never desired a female like he desired this one. It was a need, a want… no a requirement that he had her. 

She had to be his and only his. No… who was this female to call to him this way. Yes she had power… he could fell her youkai caressing across his skin. 

From where did he know this bitch? 

He knew her… 

He did know her…

He had seen or meet her during the last ten years… but where? Sesshoumaru's allowed his mind to go back over the last few years, and a startled lock came over his normally emotionless face as he realized why the bitch seemed so familiar to him. 

Inuyasha's mate his human wench. 

How did the girl go from being a human woman to an inu youkai bitch? 

Sesshoumaru shuttered in loathing. 

How could he desire his half-breed brother's human bitch?

Still he did desire her…and with her miko and youkai powers she would provide exceptional offspring, offspring to rule the Western Lands after he was gone. He was reaching an age were a mate was needed… that was one of the reasons that he patrolled his lands himself instead of sending out his soldiers, looking for an inu youkai bitch that would do. That and all the Western Land inhabitants must know to fear his wrath. 

But back to his first problem, his mate must have power to pass on to the pups, but also be tamable. She would have to learn her place and the teaching would be wonderful. Bitches always would fight for dominance in any mating. The male must be strong to force his dominance on the bitch…not to break the female but to bend her to his will. 

But did he want this bitch enough to take a former human as his mate. 

Mother to the heir of the Western Lands? 

Sesshoumaru looked over at the girl again.

Yes, yes he did. 

So he would have this former human girl, this bitch. What was he thinking she was born a human… the lowest vermin…but still she must be his. Yes, she would give him sons and daughters to rule the Western Lands. 

But first things, first. Kagome must learn who was master of this house. Sesshoumaru stood and walked to the pretty dressing table that stood in front of the balcony doors and opened the dragon emblazoned box on top. Within the dragon box was the necklace of the Lady of the Western Land. When he place this necklace around her neck he was making her Lady of the Western Lands and stating his claim for all to see.

Sesshoumaru took the necklace and walking to the bed, looked down at the girl, who was beginning to wake. Quickly he lifted her up and placed the necklace around her fragile neck, locking it in place, then he lowered her back to the bed and retook his seat in the dark corner of the room to wait for her to fully rouse. 

Sesshoumaru's silently continued to watch the girl's unconscious form as she started to move on the bed in a return to consciousness. With a pained moan she opened her eyes and tried to sit up. Moving quicker than the eye could see, one second he was seated in the gold velvet covered chair the next he was at her side.

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Kagome had never felt this kind of pain before…even when she had been wounded in the travels to find the Shikon no Tama, she had never once her like she did now. Kagome senses were alive with the smells, sounds, and feelings that surrounded her. She breathed in the air from the enclosing area….there was some much information in that one breath that it almost took away her ability to breathe. She smelled the cloth of the bed she was laying on. The oil used to care for a sword. She also smelled pine…there were so many scents that she could not name them all. She did know that she was in a room and not out doors…that was the cloth and oil scent… but she had smelled the scent of pine as well…

Worriedly, Kagome thoughts ran though her mind like a herd of wild horses running from a predator…. 

Where did the scent of pine came from if she was inside and what was that beating… a heartbeat.

There was someone with her…

He…yes, it was a he…

Kagome's senses where quickly taking in the surrounding area. It was so strange that so much information could be passed on in one intaken breath. 

He smelled so good…like Inuyasha use to… sweat, oil, and the outdoors, a masculine, virile scent. A scent that offered protection. She had smelled that piney outdoor scent once before, when Inuyasha had been fighting for his life. It was a strong scent. A man's scent, the scent of protection and…wait protection what was she thinking. Kagome's thought as she opened her eyes and tried to set up. 

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~I don't need any man's protection, but especially not….Sesshoumaru's. ~ 

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Kagome could not believe her eyes, Sesshoumaru. This had to be some kind of mistake. There was no way that she was laying in a bed, a really nice bed but still a bed, in a room with the Lord of the Western Lands standing over her with a personality that could be comparable to hunched over, unresponsive stone gargoyle. Couldn't the Kami's be kind to her just this once? 

Maybe she was only imaging him. Yes, that was it she was still lying in her bed and this was a dream. She quickly closed her eyes again and then opened them slightly… 

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~ Yes, the Kamis' hated her, unfortunately he was still there. ~

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~ Hmmm… maybe he was a dream. ~ Kagome thought hopefully and quickly pinched herself on the arm. _~ Owie, that had hurt, so this was definitely not a dream. ~_

Which left only one conclusion, somehow she was in someone's bedroom with the cold, lethal Lord of the Western Lands, Sesshoumaru. 

Sesshoumaru gracefully seated himself on the bed and watched the girl silly antics. Hmm… was he sure that he wanted this silly girl's blood in his future pups? Was the only thought that ran though his mind as he watched her. 

But still someone had to have her, the type of power she possess blazed from her letting everyone around her know she had raw unimagined power locked away within her, so why shouldn't it be him. The only other alternative would be to kill the girl to keep her out of the hands of the other Lords of the Lands. No, the girl's powers would belong to the inu youkai clan of the Western Lands. 

The bitch was his, his to tame, his to dominate, and finally his to mark. 

But first start as you mean to go, as his father had always said. 

"Well girl, it would seems that you have some explaining to do. This Sesshoumaru, wishes to know how you went from a human wench to a youkai bitch." 

Sesshoumaru lounged against the bright gold, crimson and black coverlet as he waited for the girl to answer his question. 

Kagome couldn't believe that she was still alive. Sesshoumaru should have killed her the second that he had seen her. Everyone knew that he hate humans…but then she was not a human anymore was she, Kagome thought bitterly before answering. Kagome looked over at him with an expression of pain and anger on her face. 

"Ever since the Shikon no Tama returned to my body, I've been changing. At first the changes were very small, heighten senses, speed, and reflexes. " She signed and looked away from him, " I believe it because I had too much power running though my body at least for a human body to handle. I think that Midoriko and the Shikon No Tama altered me to keep me alive. The guardian of the jewel has to be strong with the ability to use her powers to defend the jewel, I believe that they changed me to make sure that I survived to guard the Shikon. "

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru again. He aspect was exquisite as he lay there, the sunlight was streaming through the open balcony doors surrounding him in a halo of light. The light shimmered over his face making his eyes and markings glow. His long silver hair danced on the slight breeze that enter the room via the doors. 

He was waiting for something else, Kagome could tell. " That really all I know, Sesshoumaru. " 

She looked away from him, seeing the room around her for the first time since she woke, it was an immense room. Flimsies, golden curtains bellowed from the balcony doors in the breeze and the walls were painted a deep crimson with gold flowers painted here and there. The room was really as exquisite as the inu youkai who was lounging on the bed with her. 

Oh, why wasn't he saying anything? 

He quietly watched as the girls' emotions crossed her face, she was looking ever were but at his face. He would not say anything about her fate until she asked him. 

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~ Hn, I wonder how long it will take her to ask. ~

"Sesshoumaru-Sama, why am I here?" she asked as she finally worked up the courage. 

Sesshoumaru simple looked at Kagome with a smirk on his face. " It's simple really, you are here girl because you once belong to my brother. Do you know what the means in Inu youkai terms?" He asked as he tilted her face up to look at him seeing the confusion on her face he when on. 

"Inuyasha marked you as his mate. Anything that he owned at his death and that includes mates and pups became mine at his death. Since I have no mate, I have decided that you can and will fulfill that role. You now belong to me, it is also time for me to father an heir and other pups. The Western Lands also need a lady. I have decide that you will provide that Lady and the pups."

Sesshoumaru watched as a stunned look came over the girl's face and throw the last straw on the proverbial camels' back. 

" Really my dear, you should be happy girl you're going to be mated to a powerful Tai youkai and Lady of the Western Lands. Are you not honored?"

When the girl simply stared at him with that stunned disbelieving look on her face and did not answer him, he realized that a lesson in obedience was needed. When he asked a question or gave an order she should answered or obey immediately. 

The narrowing of his eyes was the only sign that he was not happy with her. She must learn that refusal to obey meant pain and punishment, but he would give a gentle lesson this first time. 

Gently, but with a firm hand he slapped her across the face before taking her chin in his hand and forcing her to look him in the eye. "When I asked a question girl do not make me ask again. When I give you an order, you are to follow it quickly."

Kagome gasped in shock as his hand hit her check, there was only a gentle sting, she barely felt it at all, but still he had hit her…he had dared to hit her. She couldn't believe that he had hit her. Anger instantaneously overtook what was left of her good sense, Kagome growled and then drew her hand back in a fist and quickly lunged toward his face with her fist. 

Sesshoumaru easily read her emotions that filled her face and know how she would react to his actions. When her fist came at his face, he easily captured it. 

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~ Hmmm, obviously a stronger lesson was needed. ~ Sesshoumaru easily pulled the girl across his lap with a quick jerk of his wrist. He pulled her nightgown up over her buttocks and brought his hand down painfully on her backside several times. 

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The woman stood at the edge of the pool and watched as images filled the spring…. 

She watched as the Shikon maiden woke from her exhausted sleep and as the girl received her first discipline from the Tai youkai when she had dared to attack him. 

So much depends on this young girl. 

They had put her though so much hell already… forcing her to live in two worlds, all the battles with youkai for the shares, the fear she had that she would fail and Naruku would get the shares first, and kikyou coming back to life. 

Then after finally wining the war when she was certain that victory was in her grasp she had lost her first love, the boy that she thought of as her son and the others of her group. 

She deserves to find happiness this time. 

Even if the lady had to alter the future slightly she would take the risk for the girl. 

Diligence and faithfulness should always be rewarded. 

Besides by the time the rulers of the Spirit World found out what she was doing it would be too late to change it back.

The dye would be cast and the future would be written. 

Yes, she would reward the girl, just as she had rewarded the hanyou with a new life and love for his heroism and courage. 

The girl would not have any easy time of it with that Tai youkai, he would demand complete obedience from his mate… Kagome would have to learn to bow to Sesshoumaru at least in public, he's honor would demand it of her before his peers. 

But still the girl could be happy with the Tai youkai, at least if she could survive the next few weeks. 

Besides no one had ever said that fate was an easy or fair taskmaster, just a demanding one. 

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Please Read and Review.

I will be updating this story soon.


	4. Chapter 4 Life in the castle of the West...

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Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its Disclaimer: Inuyasha and any other anime figures wrote of in this story do not belong to me.

I would like to explain a little bit about Sesshoumaru behavior in this fan fiction, it is my believe that Sesshoumaru has be raise to take whatever he wants…this includes other peoples swords and any woman that he wants. 

He does have honor but he would believe it is his birthright as a Lord of the Western Lands. If you look back at this time period you will see that women were seen as chattel (property) that went to the highest bidder. 

I would also like to thank everyone for the lovely reviews that I have received over the last couple of days. I can take criticizes if it is voice in a nice way, because it helps me improve my writing. But please remember that this is my first fanfiction also. 

Please enjoy. 

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Chapter 4

…Festival day. 

In a village much like Edo, an elderly miko watched as the villagers were beginning to gather for a festival and market day as the children ran playfully between the booths that were set up in the village center. 

It was turning out to be a beautiful day, a bit cool but a sunny day was just began. Many farmers and their family were due in from the surrounding area as the harvest festival that signaled the end of the harvest season began today.

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~ Everything looks ready. ~ The miko thought as she surveyed the village and temple one last time enjoying the festive appearance of the normally drab village. 

The village had been cleaned and bunting hung from the doors of each hut and the temple as evidence the villagers' joy that the kami's had given them such a wonderful harvest. _~ With this good a harvest the winter should be much easier to survive this year. ~ _

The village elders had even given their permission for the younger folks to gather later on for races and other contests to show their delight of the kami favor for this bountiful growing season. 

Many of the farmers claimed that they had not seen a growing season comparable to this one in their lifetimes. It seemed that everything was good with the world during the last few years. There had been little to none youkai attacks in this area for some time now and while this surprised the miko she was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

The village miko listened as the sound of the children's laughter filled the air around them with happy sounds, the entire village had gather to watch the first race which was just about to began. 

The laughter and happiness of the day seemed to die a cold death, as a cold, deadly silence filled the village, almost as if everyone stopped to listen to some whispered word that only they could hear. 

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~ Come to me… Come to me… Come to me… ~ was repeated in as a dirge in each of the villagers minds as their bodies locked into place leaving them unable to move. Looks of horror came over their faces, as the whispering seemed to pass from villager to villager and then increased to a deafen shout. 

One by one the villager's finally fell to the ground as wave after wave of pain filled them as their very life energy was ripped from their bodies. With each death the rest of the villagers seemed to hear that horrible whisper increase in both volume and intensity. 

The last thing the elderly village miko saw before the last of her life energy was drained away was a lovely young girl walking though the village as wave after wave of villagers fell dead around her each with a look of utmost horror frozen forever on their faces. 

…In the forests of the night.

Shippo leap over the downed tree truck in the waning daylight, as what was left of the shard hunting group traveled to the Western Lands, he stopped every once in a while to sniff the air in the hope of possibility finding Kagome's scent. 

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~ Where could she be. Who knew what Sesshoumaru was doing to her? ~ Shippo thoughts raced through his mind as he worried about his Okaa-chan. He really wanted his Kagome back he had to find her_. _

~ Jerk, taking my Okaa-san. ~

"He must have taken to the air after he left the well. I can't find any signs of him since we left the well meadow. " Worried Sango as she looked at Miroku as they walked slowly behind Shippo and looked for any sign of danger or of Kagome. 

"Yes, Sesshoumaru probable did. But we going to have to stop for the night, it getting to dark to see anything, and we could miss something in the dark. We need to set up camp soon. Shippo come back." Miroku replied as he started off the trail to find a good spot for the night. 

" But…I" 

"Shippo, I know you're worried about Kagome, but we can't see in the dark like you can. We will get an early start in the morning. Don't worry we'll find her." Sango interrupted him, as she followed after Miroku and started to gather wood for a fire. " Come on, will get something to eat and then some sleep. Well start fresh in the morning." 

…. A rosary of her own

"What… what do you think your doing." Was all an astonished Kagome could think to say as she was pulled violently across of Sesshoumaru's lap. 

"What. Wait. Sesshoumaru, stop it." Her voice quivered in fear as his hand pulled her nightgown up her legs and final above her buttocks leaving it unveiled to him. 

"The first lesson that you must learn, girl, is that you belong to this, Sesshoumaru. This, Sesshoumaru may do anything he wishes with you. Is that understood." Sesshoumaru asked as his hand came down hard and hit her bottom, stinging it in pain to deliver her needed stronger lesson. With each blow a sound akin to thunder crashed thought the room and Kagome felt the first of several very painful blows rain down on her buttocks.

"Ahiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii… Damn you, you bastard. Let me go… Let me go, you bastard" Kagome raged as she fought and tried to escape from his less than tender caresses. 

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~ I'll purify his ass. ~ Infuriated that he would dare to spank her like a parent would a child that had misbehaved in front of the neighbors, she attempted to focus her miko powers to strike back at him. 

"The second lesson is that your youkai or miko magic will not work on me, girl. The necklace that this, Sesshoumaru placed around you neck was not only to give you the status of Lady of the Western Lands but will dampens any attempts of yours to use your magic on this, Sesshoumaru. Is that lesson understood?" Sesshoumaru growled out, as he felt her miko power trying to rise only to be forced back down by the necklace.

"The third lesson is that for your protection and the protection of any pups you have in your care or are carrying you must not question this, Sesshoumaru. When we give an order, it is to be obeyed, and then obeyed quickly. Is this understood, bitch?" He asked as his hand came down for the third time and most painful time. 

Sesshoumaru knew that this punishment had to be not just painful, but a humbling experience for her. That he would dare to handle her in this way would hopefully make her guard her action with him. There could only be one dominant partner in every mating and in this one he was it. 

One last time, Sesshoumaru brought his hand down on his bitch's backside before he carelessly tossed her off of his lap and onto the floor. Then he simple rose and began walking to the door. 

"Do not attempt to leave this room, girl. I will have servants come to help prepare you for dinner tonight. " Was all he said as he walked out the door and closed it behind him.

"Oh… " Kagome moan as her soar bare bottom hit the floor. _~ Ow…oww.. Owie…_ ~ She grabbed the edge of it pulling herself up and off the floor while she was also pulling down her gown to cover her bottom. 

While picking herself up off the floor, Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru glided to the door of the chamber, _~ Oh, I hope this hurts. ~_ She picked the box up and once again attempted to focus her powers into it, she definitely wanted it to hurt when she tossed it at his head. 

Nothing happened as she attempted to focus her youkai or miko powers but the box still sailed though the air to impact on the closed door. Pissed and screaming Kagome throw herself onto the bed and began to beat one of the pillow while seeing the face of a certain Tai youkai. 

How dare the bastard, how dare he…. Kagome thought as she sank her claws into the pillow and rip it apart all the while imaging the pleasure of ripping Sesshoumaru's heart to pieces. 

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~ Arrogant bastard… how dare he. ~

Had Kagome not been so furious she would have been open-mouthed with wonder that she was had received a spanking from Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the Western Lands. 

Later that evening, Sesshoumaru looked up from his paperwork as the head housekeeper he had sent for knock on the door to his study.

" Enter, Abigeru. " 

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you called for me. " The inu youkai female, the head housekeeper of the castle entered the room and bowed in respect to her lord after she approached his desk. 

"Sit." He motioned to his old friend to sit down in the chair across from him. " I have taken a mate, Abigeru" 

Sesshoumaru saw the surprise on Abigeru face before she quickly masked it. " Notify the castle, she is to receive the same respect that this, Sesshoumaru is to receive. "

"I also wish you to act as her chaperone, but you must know that the girl is unusual, different, and at this time she does wish to be mated to this, Sesshoumaru. " 

Sesshoumaru ignored the amused look Abigeru sent him when she heard that a female actually did not want the generally in requested youkai lord for a mate. 

"She is very young, but very powerful and she must be trained in the tasks of the Lady of the Western Lands. She is also a miko. I want you to befriend her, so that she will settle faster, you should have no problem she is very easy to like. At least from what I can see. Also assign servants to see to her needs, she needs help in preparing for dinner. " 

"Yes, Sesshoumaru… I'll see to it my self." Abigeru amused laughter filled the air, and Sesshoumaru jaw tightened and he sighed as he rubbed his forehead, she was giving him a headache. 

She was the only one that could get away with laughing at him, but then he had to put up with her, she was a member of his family, the only bitch left in the direct line. 

Her father had been the younger brother of his. They had been raised together as brother and sister, after her parents had died in an attack on the summer palace when she was a newborn. 

"Oh… I love this. You, Sesshoumaru have ended up mated to a miko? You the cold, cruel Lord of the Western Land mated with a god's child. Oh this is so amusing." She said as she walked to the door. 

Sesshoumaru growled as her laughter again filled the air around him. 

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~ Silly woman. ~

Please read and review


	5. Chapter 5 Where angel's fear to tread

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Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not owned by me and is the sole property of it creator. 

Authors Note: **I have revised this chapter.** Hey I think this is getting a lot better. It's also coming pretty easy for me and it's a long chapter this time. I hope you enjoy. I put in Kagome's reaction to becoming a youkai, I mean think about it. In one minute and at the whim of a jewel her entire live was changed. Every thing that made her, her is gone. How would you react to that. Also does anyone know Inuyasha mother and father's name? I think his father is Toga, but have no idea about his mothers. 

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Please read and review.

Thanks,

Cerulean Rose

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Chapter 5

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…Where angels fear to tread

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Souls seeped through the flesh of the dead filling the air with ominous sorrow. As the first soul began to ascend to the next level, a barrier formed around the village stopping the gathers of the dead from entering. 

The souls were quickly taken captive by the form of a young girl who moved though the marketplace. In just a few hours, she had gathered all the souls of the dead villagers in a glittering glass jar she carried. 

The live energy that the young creature had taken from the villagers caused the death of the body thus releasing the souls of her victims, which was what she really desired and needed. The boost in power from the life energy was also something she did need so that she could sing her deadly song, but the treasure was the souls.

Her business there complete, the girl left the village to the dead. She started down the path that led to the next village, death following her footsteps. She paused as she stopped to listen to a voice on the wind. 

'Quickly Aniketo, quickly. The bitch, the miko has returned, she will work against us. Free me.' The voice of her father and master called to her. 

She would hurry, she had more souls to gather and soon she would find all the prefect, pure souls needed to break the seals that held her master, Naraku. 

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The Lady stood as she always had and watched from the safety of her cavern as village after village died and she was shocked by what she saw. Not of the death, for she was uses to seeing death, everyone and everything meet the minions of the Underworld in the end. 

The Lady was stunned quiet as she watched as villager after villager fell to the song of death that swelled in the air, not even the a Miko was protected from it, and they belonged to the Kami. 

The young girl was continuing to gather the souls of the dead at an alarming rate, but still she needed souls that were pure and those were hard to find… 

But still some action needed to be taken, for if the girl to was to break the seals and she would free the one of the most dangerous demons to every live. 

Still this didn't shock the Lady, no, what had shocked her was the appearance of the creature with the glittering bottle of souls, for the young girl was a grim reaper, a minion of the King of the dead, keeper of the Underworld, and Lord of reincarnation. 

The one advantage for Kagome and Sesshoumaru was that the girl would have to find were the demon was seal at, for the Lady had moved the entrance and hidden the cave of Onigumo. 

…. It was time for them to know what was coming.

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… Clothing doesn't make a lady.

~ Mating…no… I definitely don't want that. He hates humans, what could he be thinking of. ~ Kagome shivered in fear, fighting off tears. 

Who knew what he would do when he returned, Sesshoumaru had always been a law unto himself, and in this more than ever he seemed to be determined to have his way, and unfortunately for her, his way seemed to require her. 

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~ But then I'm not exactly a human any more am I. ~ Kagome thought bitterly as she looked at her clawed hand, it was still as small as every. But the sharp pointed ends bearing a remarkable resembles to sharpened tines. Kagome lowered her hand and stood to walk to the large mirror that stood beside the dressing table, and took her first look at the new her. 

Everything that had made her who she was… was gone. Kagome the college student, Kagome the daughter of Yuuke, and then…father. Kagome had always been told that she looked like her father, she was his spitting imaging and everyone knew she was his daughter. 

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~ After father died, I needed that, more than anything else…and now… ~ Kagome knew that important link to her past was gone now and would not return. Her hands covered her face and she fought not to cry. _~ Damn, that jewel. It didn't have the right to do this, I was happy the way I was. ~ _

~ No, I won't think like that. There has to be something positive about this. ~ Kagome forced herself to look at herself in the mirror again, and this time really see herself. 

Long black hair with blue and silver highlights fell towards the floor. She ran her fingers thorough the long black length, catching the silver and blue highlights in her fingers. _~ My hair, it's so soft, and at least the highlights are pretty. ~_

Kagome looked her self up and down and blushed as what she saw, the night robe left little to the imagination. _~ Still I don't look bad as a youkai, I could live with this. I like the markings on my face the slashes below my eyes are silver, while the slashes above are blue. They set off my hair pretty and make my eyes glow. ~_

Kagome looked at her feet, claws toes so like Inuyasha's. 

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~ I didn't hate Inuyasha for being half youkai, I always told he would be all right, so… It will be all right for me to. ~ Kagome thought as she looked at herself, determination coloring her tone. 

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~ So enough of this self-pity. _OK, let's think about something else right now there nothing that I can do about it. Now about Sesshoumaru he's stronger, more powerful since he put this necklace on me. So unless I want to be mat…Married, yeah, lets use married… I have to find a way out of this room, besides until I am out of this room there isn't anything I can do to stop him. ~_

She decided to ignore all thoughts of mating, especially mating with Sesshoumaru. _~ Why does this thing happen to me? As if I needed another hardheaded youkai suitor, it took me years of hammering at Koga's head to get it through that I didn't want to mate with him, that I wanted to be friends. ~ _

~ I need to concentrate on what I can do, and I try to find a way out of here. ~

…..Later that afternoon

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~ I can't get out of here. ~ The massive interlaced oak doors that Sesshoumaru had left through was lock and the other door would not open, they both were way to heavy to force even with her new youkai strength. 

The balcony had to be over 3 stories high and there was a sheer cliff below the wall supporting it, so no way out there and the only other door left had led to a bathing room. 

Kagome throw herself onto the feather covered bed after searching the room for most of the afternoon. 

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~ I hate him, I really, really hate him. The overbearing conceited jerk. ~ Kagome thought as she laid among the pillows of Sesshoumaru's large bed, the silk blanket covering her. 

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~ Oh… Arrogant bastard. Just wait I'll get away from him. ~ As she leaned against the pillows, Kagome's mind was filled with all the ways she would like to torture Sesshoumaru. Oil, yes boiling the bastard in oil, then tarring and feathering him maybe. Stupid jerk. Oh, honey and ants would be good, too. 

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~ Yeah, tie the jerk down and then slowly pour the honey over him… and let the ants come have lunch. Those mean red kind. ~ Egotistical jerk, Kagome thought as a very realistic picture of a naked Sesshoumaru, whose muscles were covered in honey, flashed though her mind. 

~ H_e is a jerk but he was also a very nicely built jerk. ~_ Surprised,Kagome blinked and blushed before she flopped over and buried her face in the pillows. _~ Now where did that thought come from… ~ _

~ What am I thinking? Am I stupid? Sesshoumaru? He's awful. He thinks he rules the world. ~ 

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~ No, no, no , most definitely a no… ~ Horrified and surprise Kagome reprimanded herself, there was no way that she was going to let herself desire him, that she would even dream of thinking of Sesshoumaru as attractive.

OK, truthfully Sesshoumaru is one of the most beautiful youkai there is. But that holier than thou attitude of his coupled with his overwhelming conceit. He had hated Inuyasha because he was a hanyou, something Inuyasha couldn't change. 

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~ Just because he has decided that we are mated, doesn't mean we are. ~

~ Nice looking or not, the jerk would want to control my every move. He is definitely off limits. ~ Kagome sternly lectured herself. 

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~ I can just see it, he would make my life a living hell. I couldn't go to the bath with out permission from His Royal Highness. ~ Kagome shuttered, at the very idea of having to ask for permission from Sesshoumaru to go to the bathroom. 

He would never let her leave this castle, that is, if he ever let her out of this bedroom. 

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~ And I'm not going to eat with him either, so there. ~ Kagome decided as she childishly stuck her tongue out at the door. _~ I have more important things to worry about at the moment. ~ _

~ I have to find a way out of here, and quick. ~ Shippo would be in the village with Sango and Miroku. She smiled as she thought of him, oh, how she had missed him and desperately wanted to see him again_. _

~ Hmm, If I don't get out of here I could never see him again. " Kagome growled shocking herself, her hand covered her mouth. _~ Did that come from me? ~_

Kagome's head turned to the door and she sat up as she heard a knock echo around the room, a second later the two large wooden doors were opened to admit four female youkai. 

The first to enter was an elegant inu youkai whose had long silky blond hair that most likely reached her feet if it was loose. It was pulled up onto the top of her head and had been platted into hundreds of braids that hung down her back. 

Kagome was surprised that she did not have a tail like Sesshoumaru, she had thought that all full inu youkai had tail, although she did have markings like Sesshoumaru but without the crescent moon on her forehead, she was tall, regal almost and her demeanor marked her as important. 

The second youkai was a kitsune who was carrying a royal blue kimono with white flowers on it. Oh, cute she had red ears like Inuyasha, whose very tips where white. Her hair fell to her waist and she had a tail that brushed the floor as she walked. 

Her tail and hair were a deep, a dark spun ruby color. She glowed in the sunlight and looked as if a spinner had taken rubies and spun them into her hair. Her markings were in the palest shades of rose and she had the gentlest looking blue eyes. 

The last two youkai seemed to be twins, and had black hair that went to their knees. She didn't know what type of youkai they were, the other two were beautiful these two had a gentile prettiness that spoke of a gentle nature. They quickly bowed to her and walked to the door beside the fireplace, where the bathing room was. 

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~ Huh, I suppose that they are the servants that Sesshoumaru said would come. They here to dress me for dinner. ~ Kagome thought as she forced herself to relax against the pillows. Inuyasha had always said to never let your enemies know that you fear them. 

The kitsune youkai bowed and stood quietly behind the inu youkai. 

Surprised, Abigeru could think of only one word to describe the girl. Delicate, the girl didn't look as if she would even reach Sesshoumaru's shoulders. 

She was lovely little thing, smoldering blue eyes, long black hair with silver and blue highlights fell to her waist and she possessed round gentle curves, enough to temp any man. The air around the girl crackled with repressed anger. 

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~ Oh, this is going to be fun. Sesshoumaru will not tame this one easily. Hmm, he may be the one to bend… what am I thinking, the great Sesshoumaru-sama bending. ~ She almost laughed aloud at that thought coupled with the feathers that littered the room covering the girl, bed and floor. 

It was quite obviously that the girl had thrown a temper tantrum after Sesshoumaru had left her confined to his suite of rooms. 

" I am Abigeru, My Lady, head housekeeper of the Western Castle and a cousin of Lord Sesshoumaru. This is Eimi, your new chambermaid, we are here to dress you for dinner this evening. " Abigeru bowed slightly to her lady and indicated the kitsune who stood behind her. 

"Lady, if you will please follow Eimi to the bath, she has your kimono for tonight. I have contacted a seamstress, she will be here for a fitting tomorrow to prepare your wardrobe." 

A mulish expression came over Kagome's face, as she thought that there was no way in hell that she was preparing for anything that had to do with Sesshoumaru, unless it was his funeral…. And then she planned to dance on his grave. 

Kagome stayed were she was and cocked her head to the side in puzzlement, "Now why would I do that?" 

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~ It's never easy is it. ~ Abigeru thought as she read the girls' desire to be difficult thought from the stubborn expression on her face and the inflexible set of her body. _~ It would be best to do this alone. ~_

"Eimi, help Ami-ria and Amita to prepare the bathing room for Lady Kagome's bath." Abigeru ordered and motioned the Kitsune out of the room.

Eimi quickly left the room carrying the navy kimono, and considered herself lucky that she would not have to tell the Lady the certainty of her new life. The Lord would never allow the new Lady's disagreement to his orders.

__

~ Hmm, how to begin ~ 

Abigeru took a deep breath. "My Lady…"

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~ It's not her fault that he's a jerk. ~ Kagome thought guiltily of the trouble she was going to cause this woman tonight and interrupted Abigeru.

"Please call me Kagome. I sorry…but I will not be going to dinner with Sesshoumaru tonight or any other night."

Kagome leaned forward, and watched as a worried Abigeru clutched her hands together in front of her.

"My Lady…Kagome…" She started again as Kagome started to argue with her, "Please Kagome, let me finish. If you are not ready when My Lord comes for dinner…. The results…I do not believe that you will like the results." 

"What can he do? Give me another spanking? I will not be afraid of him." Resolution colored the girl's tone and could be smelt in the air surrounding her. 

__

~ Oh… he didn't. Oh…the senseless man. ~ 

Abigeru would have thought that Sesshoumaru would have had more sense than that. After all, he had dealt with some of the most powerful and beautiful demon women in the world. One did not abuse a potential claimed mate. 

They had started throwing themselves at him before he had reached full adulthood. He had even become well known for being able to seduce the most inflexible of matron if he wanted something from them. 

Abigeru watched as the girls' nose turned up a sure sign that Kagome had decided to attempt to ignore her. Still she had to make her understand that there would be difficulty if she defied Sesshoumaru over so simple a thing. 

Abigeru sit down beside Kagome, the girl definitely need to understand her circumstances here, this was going to be difficulty, because she did feel sorry for the girl. "We'll put that aside for now. Do you have any questions you would like answered about your circumstances here?"

Kagome looked at Abigeru from under her bangs and shook her head up and down. She did have questions. 

"He said……"

She cleared her throat, pulled her knees up against her chest and started again, "He said… that… we… are mated?" 

Abigeru could see the fear in her eyes. "Hmmm, Kagome, you have a mating mark on you neck, who gave it to you?"

Tears gathered in Kagome's eyes, "Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru half brother."

Abigeru eyebrow rose in surprises at that, she hadn't seen her cousin, Inuyasha since he was a child. She hadn't even known that Inuyasha had marked anyone. 

"Inuyasha… I haven't heard that name for over fifty years. Not since Sesshoumaru sent Inuyasha and Keako away for their protection."

"Protection," Kagome spat out vehemently, " How did he protect them, Inuyasha mother died when he was five, Keako's family tossed him out the day of her funeral and he lived in the forest by himself after that. "

Sadly, Abigeru looked at the angry woman beside her, " He tried, Kagome, he really did try. He gave Inuyasha mother's clan a yearly siphon for their care and sent warriors to see her to her fathers' house for their protection."

"But why seen them away, Inuyasha rarely talked about his life before that, but once he told me that when he was young, Sesshoumaru and he were friends, if not really brothers. He never understood what happened. "

With tears in her eyes, Abigeru stood and walked to the balcony doors leaning on them for support. " He had to send them away, Kagome, Sesshoumaru mother's family was out to kill them after their Sesshoumaru's and Inuyasha's fathers death. They blamed Toga for Sesshomaru's mother, Sesako's death, he family was too weak to attack him, so they waited until after his death to go after his second son and his wife. "

"But …"

"No, Kagome, Sesshoumaru tried to stop them but was weak at that time, he was young to become a Lord of a Land less than two hundred and hadn't come into his full power. If not for his father's army loyalty, Sesshoumaru probable could not have survived to keep the Western Lands. "

Abigeru signed and sat back down on the bed. "We've gotten of the subject. You bear a mark but the mating was not consummated, yes?"

Embarrassed, Kagome looked at everything but her. "He wanted to wait until Naraku was gone, and by then it was to late. He died with Naraku…. I'm not completely innocent… we learned to pleased each other, we just never went all the way together. But Sesshoumaru says that the mark gives me to him, that it makes me his property."

"I'm sorry to say that it does. It's a Lord's law to protect bloodlines and inherence. If a widowed mate of younger brother of the Lord would later mate with someone outside of the clan, and if anything happens to the pups from her first mating or there were none, the pups from the second could inherent if the Lord has no children of his own. He can keep you or give you to another clan member, he chose to keep you."

"I won't be owned!"

Abigeru rolled her eyes at the sputtering girl, "Yes, well. We can deal with that later. But you're also worried about tonight aren't you. He'll give you time, Kagome, inu youkai tradition calls for your first mating to be during your first heat, he will mark you then." 

She sniffed the air delicately, " I would say that you have two to four weeks, until then you suppose to be getting to know each other and learning to live together." 

"Oh, my you can tell that." Kagome ask in panic. "Besides so far the only one that is getting to know or learning to live with anyone is me. He spanked me, Abigeru like I was a miss-behaving two year old, and gave me these rules while he did it." 

Kagome could tell Abigeru wanted to know what rules from the expression on her face.

"He said that I belonged to him and that he could do any thing he wanted to with me. I won't let him, Abigeru. I mean it! Then he told me that I was to do what he said as soon as he said it, I an adult, you know, not a child I can make my own decisions. Then he said that this collar he put on me, wouldn't let me uses my youkai or miko powers on him, and fortunately for him it does or….. " 

The outraged look on Kagome's face as she grabbed the necklace almost sent Abigeru into a fit of laughter. "Give him a chance Kagome, just remember that he's not a human male. He's an inu youkai male and has been taught to treat a female in a certain way. But you're a smart girl, work to change him, and I know he can change for the better. I believe you know Rin, his human ward, well look at how he's changed since he meeting her, once he would have killed her as soon as look at her. But look at him now, he's adopted her." 

"I'm still not going to have dinner with him." Kagome childishly insisted. 

"Kagome… if you're not ready when he gets here, what he'll most likely do is bathe and then dress you himself." 

Kagome quickly scrabbled off the bed, horrified at the very idea of that indignation she knew that he would make it as humiliating as possible, she briskly marched to the door to the bath. 

"You know I believe that I have changed my mind, a bath would be nice."

There was no way in hell, that he was giving her a bath. Kagome shuttered at the very idea.

Kagome sat on the stool in front of the dressing table, and watched in the large piece of polished mirror that was mounted on the wall behind it, as Eimi finished weaving several blue and white ribbons thought her hair, even she had to say that she looked beautiful. 

"This way, Kagome." Kagome had had mixed feeling about Abigeru and Eimi but had decided that she like them, they had both been very nice and tried to put her at ease. But she also knew that neither of them would dream of helping her escape. 

When Abigeru and Kagome had enter the bathing room, Abigeru had ordered Ami-ria and Amita to clean and prepare the outer room while she and Eimi had helped Kagome with her bath and toilette. 

It was obvious that they had been busy as Abigeru and Eimi had dressed Kagome. She signed, as she walked into the bedroom, surprised that in less that two hours the room had been thoroughly cleaned and now sparkled in the candlelight. 

All the feathers had been cleaned away, the thrown items had been picked up, and the bed made with the pillows stacked neatly against the large ornate headboard. 

Yes, Kagome could see that they had been busy little bees. 

They had lit a fire in the fireplace, and created a sitting area of pillows with a low table placed before it. The table was set for two. 

… An intimate dinner for two. 

In the next chapter

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Thank You


	6. Chapter 6 All in a days work

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Disclaimer: Inuyasha and any other anime figures wrote of in this story do not belong to me, but belongs to their creator.

Authors Note: This has been a very hard chapter for me to write. In the last chapter I set up the individual lives of the characters, but am finding it difficult to get to the next stage, but I believe that I have finally work it out. 

So I hope you like my story and this chapter. 

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Please read and review.

Thank You,

**__**

Cerulean Rose

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Chapter 6

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… Children and flower gardens.

Shippo laid wrapped up in a warm nest with Kirara, whom was laying over him to keep him warm. They were tired after all they had been traveling almost non-stop for two days and would be at the Western Lands in four more. Hopefully soon he would see his beloved Kagome again. 

But Shippo was also a little worried, it had been five years, what if Kagome didn't want him anymore. 

His emotions welled up and he felt like crying at that thought, ever since his parents had died in his mind she had become his mother. He had been hungry all the time and scared of what was out there ready to get him. During that period when he was so very alone and then Kagome had arrived like a white knight in one of those stories she use to read to him, she had rescue him. 

She hadn't care that she was human and he was youkai, and that everyone would have said to leave him there. Shippo shivered, he had known to stay away from other youkai because they would have most likely made a meal of him and the humans would have killed him so that he could not one day, after he was grow up, attack them. 

No, all Kagome had cared about was that he was a little kid alone. Sometimes he hated how he was afraid of everything, but Kagome had said that was all right to be afraid, even if you're afraid, as long as you don't let the fear control you, you'll do OK. 

He hated to admit it but he was a little scare of the idea of seeing Sesshoumaru again, but he was determined to be brave for Kagome. He would rescue her! 

Shippo really didn't have any good memories from the times that the youkai had visited them. Sesshoumaru and his imbecility, often repeated favorite phase of, "Give me the Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha, or die." had gotten really old, really fast. 

The only good points of Sesshoumaru visits were that sometime Rin and he had gotten to play before Jaken would catch up with her, normally bopped her on the head with his staff and pulling her back into the woods. 

When Kagome had realized what he was doing, she started to take away his staff of heads and threaten to bop him with it when he threaten him or Rin, at the end he had been really, really afraid of Kagome. 

Shippo giggled and then sighed.

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~ He really missed his mama. ~ he thought as he drifted of to sleep. 

The next morning found Shippo up before everyone else.

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~ Might as well get the water for breakfast. ~ He grabbed the water skin and quickly ran to the river that he could hear bubbling a little ways away. After filling the water skin, he stopped at a berry bush he had found and picked a few for them. Shippo then hurried back towards camp, he could hear Miroku and Sango voices carrying on the breeze. 

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~ They'll be wondering were I am. ~

He giggled as ran he would give them a good scaring by jumping out at them and yell really big. 

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~ Oh, Oh, it would be so funny. ~ Shippo thought as he giggled, almost jumped up and down. 

"I'm back," he yelled, as he leaped into camp and landed beside them. Sango screamed slightly and grabbed Hiraikotsu while at the same time Miroku tightened his grasp on Shakujou and started to bring it towards Shippo's, but he quickly pulled it back when he saw that it was Shippo. 

"Don't do that, Shippo, I've told you about that before," Miroku cried out in annoyance, as Shippo fell over laughing. 

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~ Where was Kagome when you needed her. ~ He thought as he looked at the mischievous kit that was giggling at them, she was the only one that seemed to be able to control him when he was in this type of mood. 

Later that day after travelling for several miles, the group saw a village in the distant, around an hour away on foot. 

"We should stop, we can use new supplies." Sango asked Miroku, as she looked into the supply bag. "We're out of beard and could also use some dried meat." 

Shippo snarled his nose at that, give him fresh meat every time, that dried stuff smelt and tasted funny, he didn't know how they ate it. And they would make him eat it to. He shuttered. 

He would prefer that they hunted, Sango was really good at large game, and he was getting pretty good at bring down rabbits himself, he thought in pride. 

Inuyasha would be surprised and hopefully proud to see that, when he had train him he had said that he was to noisy to be a good hunter, that he never been hungry enough to learn to be quiet when pursuing your next meal. 

Miroku looked at Sango, "Hum, yes we better. I get us a good meal at the tavern."

"Houshi," Sango said tightly, while looking at him with indignation. "You've stopped that remember, we discussed that. You're going on the straight and narrow. You're a law abiding monk remember."

But, Sango, this is for a good, to help us get Kagome back." The Houshi replied, with his hand folded in front of him so that you could almost see his halo upheld by horns. 

The closer they came to the village the more nervous they became. They had stopped on a hill over looking the village, which was about a half-mile away. 

Sango and Miroku looked questioning at one another. You could see in the very air that something was wrong with the village, it was too silent for this time of day. 

"Sango, you and Kirara stay her with Shippo, let me go down first." Miroku began to walk towards the village and with each step his feelings of unease grew. He could feel the evil in the air that surrounded him something awful had happened in that village. 

*************************************************************

"Jaken watch Rin. Years of faithfully service as a servant to the Great house, first for Toga-Sama and then Sesshoumaru-Sama and what did it get me but turned into a glorified babysitter." Jaken mumbled bitterly as he stomped bad temperly thorough the castle in search of Rin. 

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~ Stupid human, where is she? She knows she's supposes to be with the tutor, though why his lord wanted to waste an education on a human girl I don't understand. She's probable in the garden. She knows she isn't to go out alone. Little idiot. She deliberately tries to get poor Jaken punished, I just know it. ~ 

Jaken trudged out into the garden, she had to be here somewhere, she was always after her pretty weeds. Why she thought Sesshoumaru would want them he didn't understand, stupid human. 

"Rin, where are you. Come here, you stupid girl." He screeched, maybe she was in the field beyond the waterfall and pond. If Sesshoumaru found out that she was out here alone he would step on him for sure. 

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~ Oh… just wait until he fount her, he'd was going to give her a good bop. ~ 

**********************************************

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~ I give him one simple assignment, all he has to do in watch one young girl, and he can't even do that correctly. ~ Sesshoumaru thought in exasperation, as he watched through the window of his study as Jaken yelled for Rin. 

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~ Hmm, Jaken will never get her to the tutor she always ran circle around his little green retainer. ~ He thought with a slight smirk. 

He would have to have Jiro, his second-in-command, find her and deliver her to her tutor. Though, he would never admit it, he was secretly proud that the girl could run circles around most of his court. 

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Knock. Knock. The sounds echo though the room.

"Enter, Abigeru." He turned from the window and gave Abigeru his attention with a nod. 

Abigeru glided into the room and waited for his acknowledgment before speaking, "Sesshoumaru, Kagome is ready for dinner. I have instructed Ami-ria and Amiti will bring the dinner in half an hour."

"Very well, Abigeru. Have Jiro find Rin and take her to her tutor," Sesshoumaru instructed her as he walked to the door. "Have him tell Jaken to see to the house accounts for me we'll go over them tomorrow. Also tell Rin I wish to speak to her tomorrow before lunch, about her study habits."

*******************************************************

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The woman watched thorough her spring as Kagome was dressed by the inu youkai, Abigeru. ~ Hmm, three-week before the girl would go into heat and the bond could be formed, that was much too long. ~

Aniketo would have finished gathering the souls she needed by then and Naraku would be free. Everything would be loss if they weren't ready at the proper time the woman worried. 

To be ready, Kagome's instincts must take control. 

So a bit of tinkering was necessary to bring her heat on early. 

The woman turned and looked at her servant, "Bring me the blue, glass bottle from my workroom." 

She watched as the Tai Youkai led the girl to the table. She quickly pulled the cork for the glowing blue bottle in her hand, and poured it into the water of the pool all the while chanting. 

Unnoticed by the couple, Kagome glowed for a moment.

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Fire and desire…

Kagome sat on the edge of the bed waiting for Sesshoumaru she felt the building of her anxious as her heart raced with nervousness. 

Inuyasha she had understood. He had been an immature child trying to protect himself from pain, a wild animal when she had first meet him, determine to never let the world hurt him again. 

While Sesshoumaru… he was scary, no matter how hard she tried to hide it from herself. 

Inuyasha had been her age and although they had been born in different centuries, he had been as lacking in judgment as she and had hid his love for her because he was afraid of those emotions. Love and need to him had been weaknesses and weakness was to be avoid at all times or attacked. 

She sighed; he had faced such tragedy in his life. 

She wasn't sure how to deal with the information that Abigeru had given her, Sesshoumaru may not have wanted to send Inuyasha away as a child, but he obviously forgot his feeling for his brother as the years had passed. 

He attack Inuyasha every change he got… but was I any better than Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru had come out in the open to attack…while I had used the rosary. 

The rosary was supposed to be for my protection. I used them as punishment if he upset me, not for its intended use. I also had used the rosary as a joke. When he was in a tree and he wouldn't come down when I asked, I would use them to get him down. 

Guilty welled up in Kagome. _~ I was cruel to Inuyasha, he always felt weak during his childhood, and with one word I must have brought that feeling back time after time. I finally realize what I did to him, I didn't mean to but I did. Why did care for me at all. ~_

She wished that she could say that she was sorry for how childish she had acted. 

The door opened and Ami-ria and Amita brought in a tray of food. After placing it on the table they both bowed and in their strange, eerie echo they said, "Kagome-Sama, Sesshoumaru-Sama with be here in a few minutes. May we withdraw?"

Her throat felt closed and unable to utter a sound. Kagome took a deep breath and nodded, motioning them out. 

Standing, Kagome sighed as she walked to the fireplace and stood staring in it. She wasn't sure how to deal with a man or in his case a youkai, like Sesshoumaru, he was total out of her experience. 

Sesshoumaru was always so authoritative, self-assured, and set on what he wanted. He was Lord of everything he surveyed and use to using the power that gave him. 

Abigeru had said to try and change him, but he would never really change because he saw no reason to change. He kept Rin because she was his and now as far as he was concerned so was she he would never let her go willing. 

Maybe she should take Abigeru advice and try to get along with him at least at first. Uses the advice her grandfather had once given her, that you gather more flies with honey than with vinegar. She was lightly amused at the thought of Sesshoumaru reaction to being compared to a fly. 

Sesshoumaru opened the door to his suite and saw Kagome standing beside the fire, the light benevolently reflected on her. She looked so radiant that it surprised him for a moment, she looked mythical and a creation of magic. 

She seemed to be deep in though, her long black hair was hanging down her back, the top section had been braided with white and blue ribbons before joining the bottom section to drop to just below her waist in waves. Her luminescence blue eyes were made even bluer because of the kimono that graced her lovely figure. 

From her head to her toes she appeared to be everything that he knew the Lady of the Western Lands should be, elegant, refined to the outside world with fire underneath for him. Kagome reluctantly turned and looked at Sesshoumaru as he moved toward her, his very presents' was overwhelming. 

Kagome shuttered slightly even as the heat of the fire seemed to bath her body, she was for some reason beginning to feel…funny. Not funny in a bad way, just strange, heated.

He took her hand and looked deeply into her eyes, "Come, Kagome, you must be hungry. You have not eaten since this morning and then I am told you ate sparingly. We don't want you sick." 

She knew that she was in the in the company of an unpredictable and deadly predator when his eyes meet hers, and although that frightened her it also stirred a feeling of excitement in her. 

He led her to the table and helped her take a seat on one of the pillows and took a place beside her, close enough so that every so offend there clothing bushed each other. 

He simple sat there and seemed to wait for something. 

__

~ Oh. ~ Kagome thought. 

Her hands shook as Kagome reached for the warm sake, Abigeru had told her she must offer to serve him, that he may refuse, but because his station was higher than hers she must make the offer. 

"Sake, Sesshoumaru-sama." She asked, her eyes carefully downcast so that he couldn't read the emotions welling up in her eyes. 

"Yes, Kagome, you may call me Sesshoumaru, there is no reason for formality between us." His dark voice whispered across her skin in a velvet caress. She carefully poured the sake into his cup being sure not to spill any and then reached for the tea. 

His salty and piney scent filled her with each breath and she wanted something, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to know what it was. 

"Would you like tea as well, Sesshoumaru-sa… Sesshoumaru." Kagome breathed intimately.

Kagome looked at him from the corner of her eye wandering what he was thinking. His expression appeared as expressionless as ever, but that was soon belied when she saw his eyes. 

They were aflame, fueled with desire, a scorching hot, pulsating fire, which seemed to jump from him to her, causing her to gasp aloud and almost drop the teapot. Why was he affecting her like this? 

She was beginning to feel heated, and wanted to shiver whenever he looked at her. She didn't like this at all, why was he affecting her like this?

"The sake is fine, my dear." Sesshoumaru replied watching her closely, she looked flushed. He purposely allowed his hand to bush hers causing them both to shiver as electric cracked between them. 

She poured the tea into her cup and placed the teapot back on the table between them with the handle in easy reach in case he changed his mind. 

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~ Wait, why would I care if he changed his mind? ~ She thought almost in a daze. 

Shaking her head in hopes of clearing it, Kagome then removed the domes from their meal. The simple meal smelled wonderfully. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until she fragrance from it caught her attention. 

On the plates were a meat and vegetable dish served with rice. There were also cheeses, fruits and berries, sweets, and small round pieces of bread lying out on the platter.

She started to pick up her chopsticks and was startled when a large hand beat her to them. 

"Allow me," her heart fluttered when she hear his darkly sensual voice, a rich smooth voice that stirred her even more.

Her eyes followed the movement of Sesshoumaru's hand as he slowly used the chopsticks to picked up the meat and vegetables and raise it to her lips his voice silkily, seductive as he said. "Come, open for me."

For some reason Kagome felt she had to obey, and she opened her mouth and closed her lips over the chopsticks. The flavor of the meat was smoky, with a gentle tang also. He very gently pulled the chopsticks out from between her lips.

Sesshoumaru watched her as he slowly feed her, she was acting strange, when he had smelled her scent earlier he could have sworn that her heat was at least two to three week away, but he could smell that she was now close, very close. 

Why was she acting like this, he had expected a fight. Something was wrong. He placed the chopsticks down and used his senses on the room. 

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~ Hmm, a drug. ~ He smelled the scent of the drug and spell now that he was looking for it. 

He cast his mind at Abigeru, _' Abigeru"_, he called, he felt her startled surprise when she received the overflow of his heightened desire brought out by Kagome's heat. _"Something has happened to bring her heat on early, a drug of some type has been give to her. Find out how. Have Jiro, lock down the castle and look to the defense, this could be a trap."_

That was his last clear thought as he reached for her. 

Kagome's body shook. Desire, uncontrollable desire, started to fill her with an overpowering force that could be likened to the pounding of waves on a shore during a stormy day. All she could think was how warm his arms were when they wrapped around her and how soft his lips were when the claimed hers.

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Thanks for reading.


	7. Chapter 7 A veiw to the future

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Disclaimer: Inuyasha does not belong to me. 

Author Notes: Ok just so you know chapter 8 is the lemon. I decided to do this first because it was taking me so long to write it. I have up to 8 done and more than third of chapter 9. I will post them. After that I be slowing down because of school. 

Thank You,

**__**

Cerulean Rose

'Minds to minds'

~ Thoughts ~

"Spoken Words"

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Chapter 7

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… A view thorough death's door.

~ What could kill an entire village without being attacked back? ~ Miroku, with a pale face, walked slowly back to the group wanting for him on the hill overlooking the village, lost in his thoughts. He felt sick, never had he seen or felt anything like that… the entire village was dead killed in mid-movement. 

Miroku had felt the sorcery hanging over the village and surrounding area. The touch of something…an indescribable evil something that had been both deadly and emotionless. It's essence had impregnated the very air, made worse because you could tell that, that something didn't realize that it was evil. 

The horrified expressions of the dead that had littered the small village would haunt him till the day he died. They each appeared to have looked into the face of something that had chilled them to the bone. That thing had been so very evil that they couldn't comprehend it or what it was doing to them. 

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~ I couldn't even bury them. ~ Miroku thought, ever time he had reached to touch one of them their bodies had turned to dust and with each touch he had a rush of their feelings as they died. Their hopelessness and helplessness, it had been truly awful. 

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~ What type of spell could do that, kill in seconds, draining all the life force from the victims and leave nothing but dried husks. ~ In the end he had just touched each of them with a stick and said a prayer for them before leaving the village. 

Miroku paused as he arrived at the top of the hill, he didn't know what to say to the others, but he did know that Shippo was too young still to know what had happened there. He had had enough sorry and death in his young life, Miroku would shield him from this if he could. 

Behind her, Sango could hear Shippo giggling as he and Kirara were playing, while she stood guard over them, she became anxious as she watched as Miroku walked towards them, and it was obviously that he was caught up in some very unpleasant thoughts. 

His shoulders were slumped, his face was ghost pale, and he walked as if lead was tied to his feet as he leaned on his staff she hadn't seem him like this since he had his void. 

"Miroku, your back." Shippo eagerly yelled, as he left Kirara and began to race toward him. 

"Aren't we going down to eat now?" he complained, as Sango grabbed him and held him to her chest. 

He was hungry, he wanted them to hurry up so that he could eat… hmm, and maybe he could get some stew. 

"I'm…" Shippo started to whine again, but was frightened into silence when he noticed the look on Miroku's face.

Sango had shrugged off the disturbed feeling come from the village, but now that she could see his face she knew that something very, very bad had happened in that village, something that had definitely spooked her monk. 

__

~ Why he's all most shaking. ~ She thought in surprise, she had never seen Miroku like this, she gazed at him with a questioning look on her face. _~ What down there? ~_

She looked him over to see if he was hurt… everything look fine… except for his eyes… the ghastly look in them. Sango swallowed, Miroku looked as if he seen the depths of hell up close.

"We'll go on. There's nothing there for us." Miroku tried to avoid Sango eyes, but at the same time he was attempting to let her know that later he would tell her what the problem was. Turning he began walking away from the village… after a moment Sango, Kirara, and Shippo felt in step behind him.

__

~ Something was wrong. ~ Shippo thought as his protest die unspoken as he watched the look that passed between them. They were hiding something from him and he knew it was bad. 

After sitting up camp that night, then cooking dinner and finally getting Shippo into bed and asleep, Sango was getting inpatient. She wanted to know what he had seen because tomorrow they would be entering the Western Lands to confront Sesshoumaru. 

Carefully watching the balled up Shippo, who was lying on the other side of the fire with Kirara to make sure that he was really asleep, Miroku sat by Sango. This was a discussion that Shippo didn't need to hear. Overwhelmed with fear, Miroku shivered, the images of what he had seen in the village filled his mind yet again. 

__

~ I'm pretty sure his asleep. ~

Miroku sighed and looked at an inpatient Sango, he whispered. "Everyone in the village was dead… every man, woman and child. The town was holding a harvest festival… and they just drop were they were standing." 

He paused for a moment before going on, "I never seen anything like it. There was no signs of violence unless you counted the looks on their face."

"Could it have been a youkai." Sango frowned and asked quietly so as not to wake Shippo. Miroku had seen the worse a youkai could do, she would be surprised that one could shock him, no matter what they did. 

"No…." He paused, "Youkai's leave some signs, normally a claw marks or some other mess when they attack. This reminded me of Kanna, but still different…. Kanna didn't kill the people whose souls she took, this thing did. No, everything was in great shape… the village was fine, except for the dead people littering the ground. The look on their faces…"

Miroku halted himself she didn't to know that, not even a description, the looks on their faces would haunt him for the rest of his life. 

But if a youkai hadn't killed them, what could have done it? 

Miroku looked into the fire lost in thought, would they find more villages like this and what would happen tomorrow when they entered the Western Lands?

********************************************************************

…The Western Castle.

Sesshoumaru cast his mind at Abigeru, _' Abigeru'_, he called, he felt her startled surprise when she received the overflow of his heightened desire brought out by Kagome's heat. '_Something has happened to bring her heat on early, a drug of some type has been give to her. Find out how. Have Jiro, lock down the castle and look to the defense, this could be a trap.'_

Abigeru felt Sesshoumaru's desired filled mind fade from hers, taking her strength with it and leaving her weak knee and leaning against a wall for support. She walked drunkenly down the hallway, swaying from side to side, when she felt two strong arms wrap around her. 

"What wrong with you, Abigeru." Jiro's worried voice sounded from behind her.

"Help me sit down, Jiro. Sesshoumaru touched my mind and it drained me." Jiro gently picked up Abigeru and carried her to her sitting room and sat her down on a chair by the cheerfully glowing fire. 

He reached for the tassel cord wall pull hanging by the fireplace, and started to pull it to summon a servant to put her to bed, but paused when he hear her next words. 

"Kagome-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama new mate, was drugged, her heat was brought on early. Sesshoumaru believes it to be a trap, he ordered me to have you lock down the castle and look to the defenses." She said softly, as pain began to gather behind her eyes.

"I'll take care of it, Abigeru. You'll need to sleep to regain your strength you're not a mind speaker, Sesshoumaru forgets that sometimes." Jiro pulled the cord to call a servant to care for her and when Ami-ria and Amita arrived he ordered "One of you help Abigeru to bed and the other to summon the captains of the guards to Sesshoumaru study." 

He saw the look pass between Ami-ria and Amita and knew that they were talking to one another in their own private little world. He stood beside the fire and watched as Ami-ria left the room to summon the captains and Abigeru leaned heavily on Amita as she was lead to her bedroom, when he saw that she was being care for he then left for Sesshoumaru study. 

Jiro sat at Sesshoumaru desk and waited. So he heard the sounds of footsteps coming down the hall towards the study. 

He sat back and watched as Otoya, captain of the evening guard enter, followed by Saita, captain of the day guard. Last came Shinichi the captain of the house guard Jiro motioned them to a sit and spoke.

"As you must know, Sesshoumaru-sama has taken a new mate." The men in the room smirked and nodded their heads. 

"About time." Otoya started but paused when Jiro held up a hand. 

"Sesshoumaru-sama new mate was drugged this evening bring on her heat early, he mindspoke with Abigeru and order the castle locked down." He watched the look of concern pass between the two men as they sit in front of him. 

From his position leaning against the wall Shinichi came to attention ready to attack anything endangering the castle. 

"He believes this maybe a trap of some type," Jiro said, as he watched as the knowledge that for the next few days Sesshoumaru-sama would be unavailable to lead his armies and the village and castle could be endanger came over their faces. 

He gave each of them their orders. "Otoya, double your guards along the walls and place guards along the cliff facing." 

He then turned to Saita, "Saita order your guards to the village and bring the villagers to the castle. And when the villagers arrive make sure that a member of the guard speaks for each or they are not to enter. 

"Shinichi, after the villagers are in, lock the castle down, no one in or out, besides the patrols." 

He leaned forward, "Concerns?" 

"Yes, before the villagers come to the castle have them gather any food they have. The castle stores will hold for about two months during a siege but after that we'll need extra food. I recently check the wells, and they're find, we'll have water but enough food…" Shinichi looked worried as he added the numbers in his mind. 

"Saita, have your guards gather the villagers food as well then. I want the castle locked down by morning." The guard captains left the room to carry out their orders. Jiro stood and walked to the window and reached behind the desk and pulled the tassel cord to summon a servant. 

Jaken entered the room and called self importantly, "Sesshoumaru-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama, you called Jak…you're not Sesshoumaru-sama. What are you in his study?" 

~ Why was Jiro in Sesshoumaru-sama study? I don't like that dog, Jiro, he thinks he so smart, and he tries to take my place by Sesshoumaru-sama side. ~ Jaken thought jealously, as he looked angrily at Jiro, just wait until he informs Sesshoumaru about him being in here. 

Jiro rolled his eyes as he heard Jaken irritating voice and felt Jakens' angry looking stabbing him in the back. "Sesshoumaru has give orders, the castle is to be lock down and the villagers pulled back into the castle. Someone drugged Sesshoumaru new bride, he wants to know who and why, find out."

"I don't believe you. I don't know what you're up to but Sesshoumaru would have given me those order himself. You're not my master." Jaken looked smugly at Jiro as he denounced him. 

"You are wrong, Jaken, you will follow those orders." A deadly cold voice came from behind him, Jaken shivered, and slowly turned to see Lady Abigeru leaning against a servant. 

"Sesshoumaru mind touched me earlier this evening. I gave those orders to Jiro, do you call me a liar?" she asked in a voice chill to the temperature of ice, her face rivaling Sesshoumaru coldest expression. 

"No…No…I apologize, Abigeru-sama. I didn't know. I'll get right to it." Jaken bowed and bowed again as he left the room. 

*********************************************************

**__**

… A sad shadow in the world of the living.

'Aniketo… hear me… free me… free your father, my child.' 

The thoughts of Naraku flowed constantly though Aniketo's mind as she walked silently thorough the woods. She appeared to be an exquisite, sad shadow that barely pretended to live in the world around her. 

__

'Free me…' 

She was delicate and attired in a red kimono with black flowers, her long black hair fell to her knees and was held back by an ivory comb. Her empty blue eyes stared out at the world without emotions and her blood red lips where ripe and lush but had never known a smile. 

Around her she knew that the forest creatures' where cowering in the trees and bushes in fear of her, so as not to draw her deadly attention to them. 

__

'Free me'

Her very unnaturalness seeped into the surrounding air affecting all life around her and spoke of her not having been born into this world, but of having been created with a deadly, dark enchantment. 

The enchantment that Naraku had used to create Aniketo, in the moments before the crystal prison had closed in on him so that she could free him had striped her soul from her.

"Soon, father will be free and his enemies will die." She was, in Naraku mind, his finest creation, a supposedly soulless, remorseless machine that would follow his orders to the letter and didn't have a free will or thought. 

__

'FREE ME!'

Aniketo walked thorough the trees and bushes around her, for although she knew that she should only desire her fathers freedom and to punish those who had hurt him in the secret recession of her mind she longed for something else. 

In her empty heart she longed for one thing, to be able to love and to know love, a longing, a need much like Dorothy's tin woodsman's. 

__

Naraku read the desire in her and coldly promised her. 'Free me, child. And I will give you what you desire most… a family.'

~ Yes, Father. Soon father will be free… and I will have a family. ~ Aniketo thought with determination as she walked, but Naraku enchantment had left her no room for the light of love within her, the darkness of Naraku filled the area where her soul should have been… and that darkness was vast, hungry and desired to be feed. 

__

'Free me, my daughter. Free me!'

Aniketo walked on to the next village. 

*************************************************************

… Judgement of the Gods.

~ We need to destroy Naraku, know how do we do that. The problem is the Shikon no Tama gave him near immortality. So we need to take that immortality away, but how… ~ 

The woman watched as Aniketo walked toward the next village. 

~ How to kill Naraku. ~

"Reika, lit the fire." The lady watched as her servant bent over to light the fire contained in the fire pit located within the center of the cavern and she then walked to the shelves that held her spell powers and herbs. 

~ Hmm… what do I need. Oh, yes this will do. ~ She thought as she picked up a pale pink power and placed it on the table beside the open the fire. "Reika, I need ground up jiaogulan for immortality and ginseng for knowledge."

"Yes, Lady" Reika quickly gathered the herbs needed and placed them on the table, she snatched up the grinding stone and tablet and began working. Soon the herbs were ready for use and she called to her Lady. 

"Good, bring me a large bowl." the lady called as she walked over to stand between the table and the fire. Reika placed the large flower painted bowl on the table and stood back to watch her lady cast her spell. 

With a small bowl, the lady carefully measured equal quantities of Jiaogulan and ginseng and placed them into the bowl she then add three measures of the pale pink power into the large bowl. 

Carefully she took a spoon and stirred the ingredients much as a baker does a cake batter. 

"Reika, when the spell is cast make sure to stay out of the smoke, it's very dangerous." The lady watched as her servant walked to the edge of the cavern and stood there waiting, she then gently picked up the bowl and stood by the fire, she took a deep breath, let it out and then she cast the contents of the bowl into the fire. 

The results were instantaneous, a pale rose colored smoke snaked up and around the lady, and she gasped in pain as the smoke filled her mouth and drove into her lungs driving out the oxygen.

Gasping in pain, visions formed before her eyes, she saw a large room filled with the Gods and Goddesses of Japan as they meet for the Assembly of the Gods in the Temple of Izumo. There they met each October to decide the fate of the creatures of their lands, who would love whom, and if that love will be requited. 

The vision shifted and raced thorough the room. She saw the god of sorcery and medicine, Okuni-Nushi sitting on his throne. There in his hands she saw the orb of Okuni-Nushi, one of the most powerful objects ever created. 

He looked up as if sensing her and she gasped as his eyes caught hers. 

She watched, trapped by his gaze, as he reached out as if to touch her only to pause with a smirk and then place his orb in her hands. When she attempted to refuse it, her hands where forced up to reach though the smoke to him and she took the orb from his hand. 

The moment that the orb touched her skin her mind and body were flooded with pain as his anger filled voice, a deep booming sound echoed endlessly thorough her mind and body.

"We know what you have done, child of fate, and there will be a reckoning. You have dared what the gods will not, you have disrupted time and changed its order of destiny. The girl destiny had been wrote, she was to stay in the future but now that future is cloudy and unclear. But this is another matter." 

"We have decide to take a hand in this matter for Naraku endanger all our children." He paused and looked away for a minute.

"Go to the Western Lands and tell it Lord that his mate is in danger, give him the knowledge he needs to be our champion and defeat Naraku."

He paused again as if listening to something and the lady sighed as the pain lessened only to gasp aloud when it started again as he went on, "Take the orb to him for only a Tai youkai with great power can hope to use its power and perhaps live. He must hold the orb as his mate channel her powers though it. Then the Tai youkai can strike."

"We desire that Naraku meet the Ruler of the Underworld.."

"See that he succeed, child of fate." 

The lady moaned and fell to her knees as she was over come with one last wave of pain. Her face creased with lines of agony from the fire of the orb that she held in her hands. 

"Reika, quickly bring me a box." 

"Will this do, Lady. "Reika asked as she quickly ran to the shelves that lined the walls and grabbed a wooden box lined with black velvet and took it back to her lady.

The Lady nodded and placed the orb within the box and closed the lid. The smoke from spells lifted and she was able to get a clean breath of air.

With one last moan of relief, she slumped to the floor and lost consciousness. 

************************************

****

Please read and review.

Thanks for your reveiws!


	8. Chapter 8 The Western Lands

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Disclaimer: Inuyasha does not belong to me. 

Author Notes: LEMON, LEMON, LEMON. It is my first so please be nice. If you don't want to read the lemon please go to the section that says Lemon ended. Also I am not going to mistreat poor Jaken. Yes, he is a kiss up and irritating in the extreme but he's also very loyal to Sesshoumaru, and I believe that Sesshoumaru would appreciate that. 

Also I have moved the story into the conflict stage, the characters are gathering for their great quest. 

Thank You,

****

Cerulean Rose

**__**

'Minds to minds'

~ Thoughts ~

"Spoken Words"

****

Chapter 8

Heat gathered, pooled... 

Kagomes' body shook as the fires of her first youkai heat began to scorch her filling her from the inside out. 

She needed, wanted, and craved... a red-hot passion it was a scorching heat that continually gathered, her thoughts fluttered from one thing to another. 

Unbeknownst to her Kagome's eyes tinted with crimson flames.

Kagome blood was beginning to boil with a new unquenchable desire, an uncontrollable urge, which permeated her flesh with an irresistible force that yield for nothing. 

It wanted and needed...

__

~ Mmm... they shouldn't be doing this... ~ Kagome wondered, her thoughts in chaos. Something was wrong with her, this feeling... she didn't even really like Sesshoumaru, must less want to sleep with him, she thought as she rested her hands against his warm powerful chest. 

Everything seemed unreal to her... a warm, secure cloud was descending on them. 

She wanted to protest, this feeling couldn't be hers…but something held her back. 

__

~ So strong, so powerful, so very beautiful, ~ Kagome thought, as not realizing what she was doing, she leaded into him....

Sesshoumaru's eyes caught Kagomes' restless attention they were burning with an inner fire that glowed from them._ ~ He has the most beautiful eyes, you could drowned in them. ~ _They were filled with deep dark, passions that glowed within his eyes as he looked at her and it made her feel wonderful, that she could cause that emotion in the normally unfeeling Sesshoumaru. 

His beautiful, golden eyes were beginning to be bathed in crimson, beginning to fill with a lustful, frenzied, possessive look of desire. 

It was a marvelous look... and it was all for her, who would have every thought that the cold, menacing, unfeeling Sesshoumaru would look at her plain, Higurashi, Kagome like that. 

His lips claimed hers...ravaged hers. Sesshoumaru's lips took her in a dance as old as time and she had never felt anything that would surpass this feeling he was creating. Sesshoumaru's thoughts were cloudy, his entire awareness was taken with every aspect of her, the perfume of her scent, the feel of her silky smooth skin against his, the blush that graced her cheeks when he touched her. 

Sesshoumaru looked in Kagome's eyes as his lips left hers. "Lovely and all mine." He purred in a gravelly, mystical voice filled with such lust and passion, that it touched things inside of her caressing her and making her flail before him. 

He smiled knowingly and his lips moved caressingly over Kagome's cheek and neck leaving little nips and kisses, before his lips again meet hers.

Sesshoumaru's hands rose and lightly cupped her checks as he deepened the kiss, sharing his dark, dangerous need for her, his hunger and burning passion. Sesshoumaru's fervent kiss said it all…Kagome knew he wouldn't take no for an answer now, even if she wanted to …no… could say no.

His tongue slide into her mouth, leaving Kagome gasping in hunger, as he seemed to drink her down. His hands glided over her, and wonderful streams of fire converging wherever his long, elegant fingers touched her thorough her kimono. 

Her emotions where mixed. Kagome didn't want to give in so easily, somewhere in the back of her mind a small, a very small voice was crying out, telling her she would regret this later. 

But another part of her was calling much more loudly and it would not be ignored. Kagome wanted Sesshoumaru…. with a passion that filled her completely and he wanted, no needed her... so why shouldn't she have him. Before she had always played the good girl...the proper girl. 

Now she wanted to be... the bad girl...she would worry about consequences tomorrow. Tonight was hers and tonight for the first time in her life she was going to be the bad girl. 

This was her choice, her time. Kagome decided that she was going to reach out and take hold of life with both hands just this once, she wasn't going to wait around only to find out it was to late.

Kagomes' hands where hesitate at first as they slide up the silk covering his hard chest, causing Sesshoumaru to make a sound between a growl and a purr against her lips at the caress. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled Sesshoumaru closer to her. She wanted to feel him against her... his hardness, his very maleness. 

"You feel so very good…" Kagomes voice was breathless as his claws racked up her stomach, "Ohhhh…" her soft moan was captured by his lips as his hands slide back down her narrow ribcage and his claws gently skimming over her kimono causing delicate, seductive vibrations to dance across her skin. 

Sesshoumaru broke the kiss and pulled her arms from around his neck. 

" You're so delicate… you could be broken so easily if I allowed it." He breathed as he held her hands in his as he examined them. They were so small, so elegantly beautiful against his much larger pair...delicate, soft, and smooth. Her claws were small delicate points that sit upon her long fingers. Everything about her was lovely. 

His eyes moved hungrily back to her face, which was flushed with the true beginnings of desire. Her blue eyes were soft and vague, filled with a need and hunger that matched his and they gave testament to everything she was feeling. 

She would never be able to lie with her eyes; they would always betray her to him. 

He forced the cloud back from his mind he would not be controlled, even by his female's heat, Sesshoumaru knew he had to mate and he would mate, yes, but on his terms. He would not jump her, take her with no thought or care. 

He allowed his eyes to feast on her form, taking in her loveliness, he was going to go slow this time, take his time and enjoy this first time together. 

"So beautiful." Sesshoumaru whispered against Kagomes' skin as he licked her neck his blood rushed thorough his veins, a rush of feelings and desires, a symphony of need for this girl...no, this woman crashed through him.

With a rare smile on his lips, he brushed hers before his lips followed the line of her check to her neck, gently he nipped his way to her pulse point. It's beat was strong against his lips, a beat filled with the warm, rich liquid of life.

He kissed her pulse point gently, then nipped it to taste her, gently drawing blood, having to fight back the urge to sink his fangs in deep to mark her when he hear her hesitate moan of acquiescence. 

"Soon, little one, I take that pleasure. Yes…very, very soon." Sesshoumaru's voice was thick and hissed thorough the still air. 

His hands slide back up her ribcage his thumbs pausing to brush her hardened nipples and Sesshoumaru smiled when her pleased whine filled the room. 

He hands parted the edges of the over-kimono and pushed it off her shoulders while he kissed the slope of Kagomes' shoulders and occasionally nipping her, leaving her only in her thin blue under kimono. The heavy folds of the over-kimono fell to land to the floor with a soft hiss as it slide down her body. 

He growled in sheer delight at the sight of her gleaming white body though the flimsy material, and gently pushed her down to lay in the silk pillows, his hands caressing her body though the fabric causing her to writhe beneath him.

With a shudder of effort, Kagome watched his face unable to say a word as Sesshoumaru touched her; his face was filled with want and confidence. 

"Tell me you want me, Kagome. I want to hear you say it." His voice was heavy with yearning, awash with lust and need. It was there in his voice. He was more than sure that he was going to get what he wanted and what he happened to wanted now... was her. 

"Sesshoumaru…Sesshoumaru, please." She almost begged, her body clenched hotly almost painful at that look, desire and need pooled in her lower regions and filled the room was heavy with her heavenly scent. Sesshoumaru smiled slightly with those words, at that scent, and Kagome became his…his to do with as he pleased.

Kagome's hands shook as she pulled at his clothes, ripping the silk. She wanted to see him, she wanted to touch him and she want to now. 

__

~ She was his. ~ He gave a growl of disapproval he was the one in charge_. ~ He made the decisions…when to sleep, when to touch and finally when to fuck. ~ _

A lesson was needed, but a gentle lesson. With a lightening quick move he grabbed both her hands with one of his and pulled them above her head holding them there. Sesshoumaru dominated her and held her there with his heavy body, not allowing her to move for a few minutes… Kagome froze knowing he was dangerous. 

He was please with her first response to his display of dominance, she should know her place with him.

__

~ What am I thinking…no one dominated me. I'm a grown woman. ~ 

"Sesshoumaru, let me go." Kagome ordered as she bared her fangs at him. She twisted and attempted to break free when he attempted to kiss her.

Did the silly girl think he would obey her? "No." Sesshoumaru whispered against her against her with a derisive grin. " Make me."

Sesshoumaru lowered his face to hers for a quick kiss and then growled harshly against her lips, showing her his deadly fangs, when she again attempted to pull them lose from his powerful grip. 

"Let me go. Do not make me tell you again." Enraged, Kagome snapped at his arm attempting to bit him and his growls of disapproval filled the air. 

At Sesshoumaru's menacing sound, Kagome froze again her rage leaving her as every muscle in her body tense as she carefully watched his cold, hard, incensed face and ever instinct she possessed instructed her to be careful. 

He was dangerous… and Kagome found that thrilling. The youkai part of her wanted him wild and untamed while the miko was warning her to be careful. Her insides felt twisted with need. He was awaking things in her she never knew that she possessed.

Growling, he grazed her front with one of his claws caressing her nipples…exciting her further. Sesshoumaru could smell her wetness in the air surrounding them. She like his touch even though she tried to hid it. 

Sesshoumaru's touch was aggressive and firm, proclaiming her as his with his touch, with each slice of his claws to fabric covering her body as he cut it from her leaving her naked beneath him. 

There was nothing she could do to stop him, even if she wanted to. Sesshoumaru was too knowledgeable…to practiced. Sesshoumaru slowly cut the fabric from her lithe body one execrating piece at a time. Sesshoumaru showed his dominance with his slow even pace despite her gasped, moaning pleas to hurry. 

All the while he caressed and he petted and he touched her in ways she never imaged until tears fell from her eyes. Kagome wanted…needed. He understood a woman's body…a woman's needs how to get he to the fever pitch.

His hand closed over her breast and his need caused his body to clench painfully for a moment, making it seem almost impossible to hold back from her, and Sesshoumaru had to fight himself so as to not bury himself in her without thought. 

He pressed his member, hard and ready against her leg causing her to groan, a sheen of sweat covering her body as she rubbed her self against him still trapped in his grasp.

His mouth closed over her breast, his fangs delicately scraping over the nipple with each hot pull of his mouth causing a corresponding pull in her wet lions before he moved to the other one only to repeat the process. Again and again he moved back and forth between them, Kagomes' keening cries echo delightfully in Sesshoumarus' ears.

His free hand glided from her breast and down her ribcage, his clawed fingers running across her stomach muscles making them jump to her wet core and he carefully retracted his claws before sliding his finger into her wet depth going slowly at first so that she grow use to him before starting a fast rhythm. 

He moved in and out of her as she bucked wildly against him and with each inward thrust he rubbed her clitoris with his thumb. He slide in a second finger and then a third. _~ So tight. ~_

"Please…. Now Sesshoumaru… Please, Sesshoumaru…. Oh…God. " Kagomes' desired filled cries and whimpers echoed in his ears causing his own body heaviness to increase with an even greater need, before he seized her lips and swallowed the erotic sounds.

A knowing chuckle filled the air when Kagome screamed in desperation, wanting more, needing more, she was almost begging him. Sesshoumaru's own body was bathed in a glaze of sweat in an effort to hold back from her. 

The animal in Sesshoumaru was glorified at Kagome's unfettered response to him, it enjoyed the feel of her and the arousal smells within room they aroused it to a fever pitch. 

With a quick, almost unseen move he was up and his clothes melted off him to lying on the floor in a white puddle of silk. Sesshoumaru stood between her outstretched thighs and Kagome choke back a gasp and her eyes widened slightly in fear now that she finally saw him naked... he was large, very large. 

He gaze held her captive as he knelt between her parted thighs and she feel the surety in him, the way his eyes wondered over her...they were possessive.... Perceptive... sure from her every react that she was his for the taking...her soft, flushed skin, heaving chest as she gasped for breath, her wide glazed eyes. 

His claws drew a path up her legs, teasingly making her jump under his hands, leaving red lines on her before he grasped her firmly underneath her knees pulling them up and fully apart until her knees bent and she was completely opened to him. 

She growled, baring her fangs and snapped at him, the animal taking over briefly when he blanketed her, imprisoned her, trapping her between the pillow covered floor and himself... he trapped her with his need, his desire and his hard, strong body which pushed hers down into the pillows beneath her leaving her no way out. 

"Control yourself, girl or I'll control you." He pressed himself against her wet opening. 

His hot hard member pressed against hers and she didn't know if she should grab him and pull him to her or attack him, but in the end it end up being a bit of both. 

"Mine." Sesshoumaru trembled, almost shuddering, holding his wild nature back with a determined will as he held his body above hers as he lowered his head to her neck. He deadened his seed, now was not the time for pups, they were too new to each other.

"Mine." He hissed in her neck, as he carefully licked her pulse point and with a powerful thrust forward he met her innocent resistance and quickly torn though, filling her tight wet sheath. While at the same time his fangs bit into the base of her neck and shoulder filling his mouth and nose with the sweet taste and smell of her blood. 

Sesshoumaru held himself still when she whined in pain, tears falling from her eyes, her hands pushing at his chest, his fangs and member deeply, painfully embed in her. He released her shoulder, licking and nuzzling the wound and tears as he waited for her to adjust to him. 

__

~ Kami she feels so good. ~ He thought as he struggled to stay still until her pain pasted. 

Kagome felt betrayed, it had started out so amazing, then...

"Mine." He repeated again, and she gasped and her eyes drifted shut as wave after wave of pleasure inundated her as his mouth left the wound on her neck and went to her breast driving out any thoughts. 

Sesshoumaru's pulled the nipple into his mouth and with each hot moist pull on her nipple, her wet vagina throbbed in an answer echoing throughout her body, causing her to tighten around him and beckoning him to move. 

He moved, slowly, a careful test of her response to him. Velvet fire gripped his member, and she gasped, not in pain but in returned pleasure. He moved gently, tenderly at first enjoying her cries of pleasure as her muscles tensed around him pulling him back into her. 

Sesshoumaru's eyes drifted close with gratification, _~ Gods she felt so good ~,_ and his focused soon narrowed down to only the two of them and his thrusts became frenzied, uninhibited as Kagome's cry after cry of pleasure echoed his growls though the room. 

Pleasure and pain mixed together for them. Kagome's body rose to meet each powerful thrust of Sesshoumaru's. Her claws dug into his back leaving deep bloody furrows and her body gripped his, holding him tighter than he ever imaged when she screamed as she fell over that unimagined pinnacle for the first time. 

Pleasure and pain mingled as his body went up in flames, his cry soon merged with hers as with the molten fire of a volcano his seed filled her and he collapsed onto her.

__

~ The next few days should prove eventful. ~ He thought with a smirk.

This was Sesshoumaru's last clear thought as the fires took them again...

****

Lemon Ended

Four days later....

Sesshoumaru came awake in the pre dawn morning, his mind and senses beginning to clear for the first time in four days. He opened his eyes and drew in a deep breath sorting though the smells that floated thorough the air. 

Sesshoumaru mind scanned the surrounding area of his domain inspecting everything from the castle walls to the kitchens instinctively looking for any signs of danger. 

__

~ Hmm, no problems. ~ Everything seemed fine and normal within the castle, the guards on the castle walls were awake and alert looking for signs of danger. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes when he came to Jaken who was in the kitchens tormenting the cooks while he lamented not seeing his Lord for these many days. 

He then saw that Rin, even at this early hour, was in the forecourt garden picking flowers while two guards watched her. 

__

~ Hmm, she should still be abed. Can not the youkai take care of one young human girl? It's too early for her to be up and she will not be rested for her classes. ~ It was not that he cared for Rin, he lied to himself, but he was responsible for her…yes, that was it. She had attempted to help him when Inuyasha's attack from the tetsusaiga had wounded him_. _

~ Hmm… the tetsusaiga… I wonder if Kagome know what happened to it after Inuyasha's death? ~ He thought as his mind settled for a second on his father's sword. 

Sesshoumaru mind returned to his large frame and he lowered his natural defenses, he was sprawled across the bed with Kagome small naked body held protectively in his arms. Her black and silver shot head rested conformable on his chest and he enjoyed this twinkling of calmness before the start of a hectic day. 

He would have to complete all the work that had piled up during the last few days. Sesshoumaru looked down at the young girl lying in his arms. Her face was lovely with the dark blue strips across her checks, her face softened in sleep and for a moment, he wanted to smile she would be very easy to lov.... 

__

~ What... I, Sesshoumaru care for a lowly female... a female that was once human? ~ Sesshoumaru thought in shock and his lips hardened, he released Kagome and gently laid her on the bed as he lean back against the pillows of the bed. 

__

~ That is unacceptable, very unacceptable. Caring for anyone is a weakness ... And this, Sesshoumaru is never weak. This girl is here for certain reasons only. Sesshoumaru thought and reiterated to himself ~ _She is here to provide a Lady of the Western Lands, for my pleasures, and later for pups. ~ _

Sesshoumaru forced his emotions away and looked down at Kagome as he thought, ~ _I will not soil the title of Great Demon of the Western Lands with weak, softer emotions. I will not be my father and be destroyed by so called love… ~_

Sesshoumaru his eyes glowing red with anger at the very thought of that humiliation and he decided that the situation was to be put his from his mind. Her status as his mate demanded he would see to her well being, and he, Sesshoumaru would. ~ _This girl is only a means to an end and that is all. ~_

~ No. He would not display the weakness of his father or younger hanyou brother. ~ But any softer emotions had no place in his life, yes, his life would go on as before. 

Sesshoumaru watched the exhausted-looking girl curled up under the blanket and he decided he would let her sleep. His endurance was greater than hers due to his many years of harsh training to become a warrior and the next Great Lord. 

__

~ Hmm, ~ he thoughts with a ghost of a smile banishing his earlier thoughts, he would have to work on her endurance and training. She would need weapons training, martial art and her youkai would require training, and although her miko's powers were somewhat developed even they were also not what they could be. _~ Training is definitely in order for her, and it needs to start very soon. ~_

She would also need defensive training so that she could learn to respond to the attacks of other youkai and from what he had seen her defensive tactics so far any train she had, had been inadequate, grossly inadequate. 

The girl has power, but obviously no clear idea how to use it effectively. _~ Yes, her training must start today. ~_

But for now, he had other matters that needed to be seen to and accomplishment. He scanned for his second in command and saw Jiro dressing for the day ahead. **_' Jiro.'_**

Relieved at the sound of his Lord's voice echoing within his mind, Jiro's head rose and he looked off into the distance as he mind spoke with his lord, **_'Yes, my Lord.'_**

'Do you have anything to report?'

'Yes, my Lord. As for the attack you suspected, my Lord, no. There was little movement on your borders. But the other Lords of the four Lands have been clamoring to see you. You have received a message for each day you have been absent.' Jiro replied with an irritated gleam in his golden eyes as he remembered the arrogance of the other Lords messages, he quickly tied his belt**_. 'There has been a rash of human killing in the four lands that disturbs them greatly. They demand the attention of the Western Lands to meet in council. '_**

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes in annoyance that they would demand his appearance for such a petty thing. **_'Why should this, Sesshoumaru, care about these petty human deaths?'_** he asked his second in command.

**__**

'My Lord, they report that entire villages are being destroyed, not just one or two human. Twelve villages at last count. As to how they died…they are not sure. I think that is what upsets them that they don't know. The bodies show no evidence of violence, they simple fall were they stand, the area around the villages stink of evil magic, soul stealing magic.' Jiro took a deep breath before going on; his lord was going to be extremely pissed when he heard this,**_ 'Two of the patrols have found villages in the Western Lands massacred in this way.'_**

~ His lands affected? Someone was attacking what was his? ~ Outraged, Sesshoumaru growled aggressively, his claws curling to rip something apart. 

He forced himself to calm down when Kagome whimpered and stir beside him from the sound. _~ Hn... Let's let her sleep. ~_ For a second, amusement fought with anger and Sesshoumaru's lips twisted in amusement as he allowed a low chuckle to leave his lips.

__

~ She needs it. ~ He thought, before focusing back to the much more serious matter at hand. 

**__**

'I want a full report from the leaders of the patrols that found these villages, Jiro, meet me in my study in half an hour.' 

'Yes, my Lord.' Jiro replied as he felt his Lord mind leave him.

Sesshoumaru quickly slide out of bed. He looked around the room and frowned, it was a mess. Food littered the table, pillows and blankets were thrown around the floor. This was totally unacceptable. **_'Jaken.'_**

Pausing in the hallway several floors away, a delighted look appeared on Jaken's green face as he heard the sound of his master's voice filling his mind and he giddily replied, **_'Oh, my Lord, it's been so long and I'm so glad to hear fr...'_**

'Jaken... quiet. Have Kagome's servants sent to see to my rooms, they are a mess and need to be cleaned. They are to be quiet for she still sleeps, when she wakes we will have breakfast together in the dinning hall. Tell Rin's tutor she is to join Kagome and I for dinner this evening.' 

Sesshoumaru paused for a moment to think, **_'Also ask Lady Abigeru if she can meet us for breakfast, I need to speak with her. See to it, Jaken.'_**

'Yes, my Lord.' Jaken squeaked and scurried down the blue tiled marble hallway to carry out his Lords' wishes as he planned what need done. 

__

~ He would have to hurry and tell the cook or she would complain about having no time to get everything ready for breakfast and even though it was her fault for being so lazy…who would be punished, Jaken that who. Everything was left to poor Jaken. Oh, so much to do. 

He also would have to have the dining hall prepared, the servants sent to Lord Sesshoumaru's rooms, and Lady Abigeru notified of the Lord's orders. Oh, that brat Rin as well.... Oh, so much to do. Poor, Jaken. ~ 

*************************************************

__

…The capture of the rescue party

Miroku, his lips curved with a faint smile, as he and Sango watched Shippo stalking Kirara who was running ahead of them. Shippo was trying to be quiet but he wasn't that good at it. Kirara would allow him to catch her every once in awhile. 

Every once in a while, in a lightening-quick move, Shippo or Kirara would tackle the other and hold them down for tickles in Shippo's case or licking for Kirara.

"He's having fun even here, he's been so worried about Kagome. " 

Sango face glowed with laughter and she couldn't hold it in anymore as Kirara held Shippo down, licking his face as he screamed and giggled, their troubles momentarily forgotten. It was nice to watch them playing together with child-like innocent. 

"Yes, he is."

"We'll be in the Western Lands by this afternoon, Sango, I have been considering the reasons for Sesshoumaru to take Kagome, everyone knows he hates humans." Miroku called her attention back to the matter they had been discussing earlier, his eyes scanned the surrounding forest for signs of danger, they were close to the Western Lands border. "So why would he take a young human girl who is also a miko…You know youkai, Sango, so why did he take her?" 

Sango's walked with haraikotsu strapped against her back, and she carried her and Kagome's bag, she would want it when they arrived. She sighed, she had been worrying over that problem. "I've been thinking about that, Houshi. I think it's two-fold, Kagome's a powerful miko. Youkai are attracted to power and whenever Kagome comes thorough the well it releases a lot of energy, you and Kaede always committed on it. I believe that it probably attracted his attention, and that why he took her?" her voice was questioning. 

"I don't know. Its seems possible. Its why he always wanted tetsusaiga." Miroku looked away from her alluring body, _~ Must resist temptation… Must resist temptation. ~_

He watched her ass from the corner of his eye…so nice and round. Just enough curve to fit a mans' hands nicely… his hand drifted towards her.

"There's also another problem...Houshi." Sango's voice trailed off.

Surprised, Miroku looked at her, " What that?" before his eyes fell to her ass again it was so very soft and smooth, such a wonderful handful and so close…it was just heaven. 

Sango could feel his gaze on her and turned with haraikotsu, she forgot everything as she stopped and shivered when she saw the familiar lustful look Miroku eyes held. 

She blushed and turned the color of beets, "Kagome and Inuyasha... where mates, they just never went that last step..." 

"They went far enough." Miroku smirked evilly at Sango. From that look Sango knew just knew that the pervert had stolen a peak at some time and watched them while they… Sango was angry and mortified for Kagome, she'd die if she found out. 

"You, Hentai, Miroku, you didn't." Sango yelled at him taking a swing with haraikotsu, Miroku dodged her and gave her he that evil smirk once more. "You, you hentai, if Inuyasha had caught you…" 

"But he didn't, he was busy." Miroku said in an evilly, admiring tone as he remembered the scene. "He was keeping Kagome very, very busy at the time. Her legs were wrapped around…"

"I don't want to know…" she moaned mortified at him, "just let it go. Let's go back to the important matter." 

Still beet red from embarrassment and anger, Sango sighed and continued with the earlier conversation, "That's the problem, they were…." She stuttered and blushed at the look on his face it was so…. knowing,"… mates... and… and according to youkai law Kagome was Inuyasha's property. 

"She certainly was." Miroku had a lustful look on his face and he tried again to tell her. " They were…"

" I don't want to know!" Sango yelled, unknowingly catching Shippo attention as he's eyes enlarged as he listened when she continued once more, "Hum, as I was saying when Inuyasha die everything he owned went to Sesshoumaru. That includes the tetsusaiga and Kagome and I think that why he took her. Because he see her as his." 

Stunned with disbelief, Miroku mouth dropped open, "there no way he take her because of that, she's human..." he started.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" Shippo screamed in terror when he heard this as he ran around Miroku and Sango. Kirara came to see what was the matter with him as Sango reached down and grabbed him, holding him to her chest and gently petting his hair as he sobbed, " aaaaa, I'll never see Kagome again. If she's Sesshoumaru, he'll never let me see her. I want Kagome. I want my momma. I want my momma…" 

Hazuki, a kitsune scout and captain for the eastern border of the Western Lands, she had separated from her patrol when she had sensed the approach of the human strangers with a kitsune kit and fire cat with them. 

Hazuki had quickly masked her youkai and was moving from tree to tree to listen to their conversation from her hiding places_. ~ Huh, Kagome must be the Lord's new mate… ~ _

__

~ But why would a human monk and a youkai slayer care about his mate and why do they have a kitsune kit with them. 

Hmm, they're talking about Lord Sesshoumaru, again, this Kagome belonged to his brother. ~ 

~ Oh, that kits so upset. He called the female Kagome that Lord Sesshoumaru supposedly took, his mother. ~ She growled softly and fought her instincts as the young kit cried so broken hearted. Oh, se wanted to go to the poor little thing, she could tell that he was young, very young. He should be with his clan he needs another kitsune not some humans or a fire cat. 

__

~ Hmm… if the kit belongs to this Kagome woman, who they say belongs to the Lord, then the kit belongs to Lord Sesshoumaru. Yes, he must go home with us. 

Yes, these people want to go to the Western Lands to see Lord Sesshoumaru. Hmm, then I just take them to him. ~

Hazuki justified her next actions to herself, she wanted that kit were he would be safe. She leaped from tree branch to tree branch to get her patrol so that they would take these people to Lord Sesshoumaru. 

Sango held a heart-broken Shippo as he slept against her chest, every once in a while he would hiccuped sob in his sleep. She gently petted his hair trying to comfort him, it had taken her over an hour to get him to calm down somewhat. 

"Sango, Kirara do you see anything." Miroku was watching the forest, shakujou held at the ready, silence the forest should be alive with sound but was silent. He had a feeling something was going to happen soon, Miroku could feel it in the air surrounding them. 

Hazuki watched from her perch, high up on a branch in one of the larger tree, as the youkai slayer tenderly held the young red haired kit. The group had been walking for about an hour, and had entered the Western Lands, they were heading down the forest path toward were her soldiers waited. 

With a birdcall, she signaled her second in command, Makkenji, to move the troops to surround them, Hazuki had ordered that they were not to be harmed, just disarmed and secured. 

Makkenji carefully waited in the shadows, as the two humans and youkai fire cat walked pass where he and the patrol were hidden in the surrounding forest, he cursed as the fire cat hissed as she caught their scents. 

Kirara meow every once in a while, as she walked beside Sango in an attempt to comfort her whimpering young playmate. The scents of the forest were alive and filled her nose, when she smelled several youkais nearby. 

Kirara angrily hissed, she had been distracted and not looking for them she transformed into her large form, flames leaping up from her feet as she prepared to attack the on coming youkai. 

Hazuki quickly sounded the orders to take the group as the fire cat reacted to them as she made her way toward them. She didn't want these people to get away from them or have time to prepare for an attack. 

"Stop. No one moves, you trespass on the Western Lands. " Makkenji called out as her patrol quickly surrounded them, weapons held at the ready. 

Miroku attempted to bring shakujou down onto the nearest youkai, who quickly dodged way from him. Sango pulled her sword preparing for battle with Kirara at her side, as she held the now awaked Shippo protectively against her and stood back to back with Miroku as they waited for the attack to begin. 

"Shippo, get between Miroku, Kirara and me and if you get the chance run for the forest." Sango whispered in his ear attempting to be quiet enough so that the other youkai wouldn't hear, as she lowered Shippo to the ground pushing him behind her, he stayed very quiet and quickly did as she ordered. 

"Priest, if you attempted that again…" Makkenji trailed off as they strangers backed into one another with the young kit between them. The youkais tightened the circle around them and Miroku noticed that they were battle ready and obviously battle hardened, he readied shakujou as the youkai lowered their weapons in preparation to attack. 

"That is enough, stop" Makkenji growled out as he walked though the warriors and approached the strangers. "Remember your orders."

"You will receive no harm from us… at least for now. You will come with us to see Lord Sesshoumaru. " Hazuki announced as she quietly walked up behind Makkenji. 

************************************************************

__

…Meetings in the Western Lands

The lady was still weak from her spell and the attention of the God of sorcery and medicine, Okuni-Nushi. She tightly held the black box in her hands as she and her servant walked towards the Western Lands to see Sesshoumaru, Lord of that land. 

She smiled in bitter amusement as she thought of the Lord of the Western Lands reaction when he found out that he had an appointment that he didn't know about. He was about to be thrown into the waters of fate, to sink or swim as the Gods decreed. 

She signed again as she saw the Western Lands Castle come into view, it was time to bear the dog in his den. 


	9. Chapter 9 Naraku's Daughter

****

Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to it creator, all fan fictions are for entertainment purposes only.

Authors Note: 

Sorry this took so long, but school has been murder and then I lost this entire chapter as I was editing it and had to restart it. Talk about screams….

For the people that review….Thank you very, very, very, very, very ,very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope you like this chapter.

Thanks for reading and please review.

Cerulean Rose

****

Chapter 9

__

…Naraku's daughter

Hana laughed as Hiroshi reached over and touched her again, tickling her before pulling her to him for a kiss. "Hiroshi, don't, please…" She giggled as his tickling turned into a caress and she attempted to twist her body away from him, as her lips met his. "Hiroshi, please…" 

They had married two days ago and she was still getting use to him touching her, Hana sighed in pleasure as she remembered her wedding, it had been a magnificent wedding in her village, the likes of which the village hadn't seen in years. 

Her mother and father had spared no expense in the preparation for her wedding, they had wanted her to be proud when Hiroshi's parents and relations came for the wedding. 

Hiroshi's father was even a village elder, as were several of his uncles and he was even related to his villages' miko, a woman named Kaede, so he could have looked much higher for a wife than her. Hana smiled happily, but he had chosen her. 

Her village had been turned out with bunting of blue and red hues and other decorations, and after they wedding they had stayed behind to visited with her relations as Hiroshi people had returned to his village. They were finally on the way home to the hut that he had built for her in his village. 

"Ah, Hana…I can't help it… I finally get to touch you," Hiroshi whispered when he pulled her against him and kissed her full red lips, " and kiss you, hmmmm… I've waited so long for this. Kiss me again, Hana."

Hiroshi lips slashed across hers as he pushed her against a tree and his hands slide down her ribcage to cup her bottom pulling her against him. 

Stone faced, Aniketo watched from her spot on the path as a laughing young couple laughed and kissed as they leaned against a tree of to the side of the path. 

**__**

'Father, this emotion they display, it is love, yes?' Aniketo asked, **_' And happiness?'_**

**__**

'What it is, is disgusting.' Naraku voice dripped with distaste and venom as he replied and watched the couple thorough Aniketo eyes. **_'Disgusting, child, weakness. Love is for fools and idiots. It's nothing more than an opening for betrayal and defeat. Listen careful girl, this so-called love of theirs, is only a desire to mate and produce offspring. They tie their desires up in a pretty package and call it love, so that it will be something more than mere desire.'_**

Aniketo looked at the young couple with something akin to longing, **_'But father, it doesn't seem like a weakness, they seem….' _**

Naraku sneering voice filled her mind, interrupting her. **_'Ah, my dear, the only true love, such as our love, is between a parent and child, and even then its best to remember that you can still be betrayed. All others loves are lies. _**

Lies, my dear,' Naraku's voice purred lovingly thorough her mind, **_'If you tested them and offered one life, if they left the other's soul to you, they would both turn on one another. Oh, yes, Aniketo, my dear, the first lesson you need to learn is that love is an illusion. Find your pleasures through power, daughter, it last much longer than the false illusions of love and will not turn on you.'_**

'Yes, Father.' 

"Not here, Hiroshi, anyone could see us," Hana giggled again as she looked around, while she pushed gently against his chest. Playfully Hana fought him, she turned her head this way and that attempting to evaded his determined lips. 

Her giggles filled the air with his husky laugh, as she fought with him, when she saw an unmistakably very well dressed, young Lady on the path in front of them. 

"OH, there is someone seeing us." Hana was both surprise and embarrassed as she looked at the young girl watching them. She blushed at being caught in such a compromising position _~ what must she think… ~_ and then she pushed him away and bowed respectfully toward her. 

Aniketo stood her ground in the center of the path as she watched the couple, she could feel the life force of the two flowing over and around her, a happy, fiery ribbon that linked them together in this life and the next. 

A harvest…Should she? 

But no… not just two live forces but three, the girl was with child, a girl. _~ So happy, so much in love. No evil in them at all. So happy and innocent, I will spare these three. ~_

__

~ Why she seems so sad, so lose. ~ Puzzled Hana looked around, the Lady was alone, and there was no sign of anyone with her. 

Where were her guards, and her servants, anyone that was as well dressed, as this woman did not travel alone in the wilds of the forest. "My Lady, can we serve you? Are you lose? Have you lose your party? I am Hana, my Lady, and this is my husband, Hiroshi." 

" No. We need no help." Aniketo voice, as bland as bread pudding and with an emotionless that would please Sesshoumaru, replied to the girl's gentle question and as she turned away from this loving, young couple and started down the path again when her father's voice, an icy, dark hissing went through her, bring her to a stop**_. 'They wish to serve, let them help to free me then. Take their souls, Aniketo.'_**

"No." Aniketo voice quivered slightly as she stood up to him for the first time in her short life, "No," she repeated aloud once more in an even less sure voice, she didn't want to hurt them, she turned and once against walking away, **_'Please, father, I wish this couple to live. I know you consider them weak, fodder for us to use to free you…but… Please, let them keep their happiness, however fleeting.'_**

'As you wish daughter,' _~ Stupid little bitch. ~_ Naraku voice as it filled her mind was soft and gentle, but he would have gnashed his teeth if he could, but he knew he had to be careful, the detachment's feelings keep re-awaking for some reason. 

He would not waste the title of daughter in his own mind, the girl was a tool only, to be used as with any tool and then discarded when it broke. Again and again when Naraku had thought that he destroyed her feeling, they returned to interfere with him, to interfere with what he wanted. 

__

~ Patience, I must be patience. I will allow her to have her way this time, so that my hold on her grows stronger. Pretend to love her… make her need me. Patience, I have already had to abandon my position in her mind several times. I must tighten the influence of a loving father, needing his beloved daughter's help. But when I am free…~ Naraku's dark thought were filled with how he would destroy this detachment. 

Thoroughly puzzled by the young lady's strange behavior, Hana attempted something she had rarely ever tried since she was a young girl and had aspired to train as a miko, only to be disappointed when she was told she didn't have the necessary strength. She gently reached out with what little miko powers she had to read the strange, melancholy lady. 

She may have never had enough to become a village miko, much to the disappointment of her family and village, but she did have enough to read peoples intentions. A hunch or feeling she could always tell the good or evil. 

She reached out carefully, gently and what she found caused Hana to gasp and shivered as she drew back in dread and panic as she felt a dark, repugnant energy surrounding the woman white aura. _~ What…What is that… I've never…whatever it is, it's evil. ~_

Aniketo paused as she felt the touch of purifying magic. A glide of a knife sliding down her skin, an icy cold and burning fire touch that mixed into hard, painful tingles, **_'father do you feel that…Still she is no danger to us…'_** she started back down the path once more, before he interrupted her with an joyful cry. 

**__**

'A miko! A weak, powerless miko, yes, but still a miko. I want her Aniketo, I want the girls' soul, send it to me.' Naraku's dark voice purred through her mind, a black snake curling around her. His detachment would obey him in this matter, he would give her no choice. _~ I have a delectable plan for this soul. ~ _

Naraku coldly and painfully ripped Aniketo blossoming emotions away, returning her to a cold, unfeeling monster he had planned for her to be. **_'Now, send me the girl's soul.'_**

'Yes, father.'

"You shouldn't have scanned us, girl, we were going to let you two go free. Let you return to your pitiful lives." A double voice issued forth from Aniketo, a tear glowing on her cheek, she simply looked at the girl as her miko-youkai went out and surrounded the young couple, pinning them in a white net that trapped them and held them still. 

Aniketo stood there and watched, a silent ghost, as the young girl and the young man froze unable to move at all, with identical looks of horror and fear beginning to slowly cover their faces. 

Hana desperately attempted to breathe but could only gasped for breath, her lungs empty. She raised her hands and covered her throat, or attempted to but something was blocking her. Invisible hands. Hana clawed at them. They were cold, icy almost and damp. 

Fear. Pain. Kami help her, something was blocking her throat…something was coming up crawling out. She could see and feel her life energy bleeding away, through her skin, being sucked in and entrap by this… this creature. 

__

~ Hiroshi, we need to run… Hiroshi …please…run. ~ Hana thought as she tried to move, wanting desperately to help him, needing desperately to save them both. She felt her miko's power flare up briefly her desperation, and found she could move her head, she turned it only to see him fall to the ground, and his soul slide out of his mouth. 

She screamed and screamed soundlessly in horror, the only sound a hideous, black song ringing in her ears as she felt her soul slide into her mouth and then depart her body, Hana eyes drifted close. 

But she was not gone, she still felt, feared, as her soul body floated in the wind to the woman waiting hands. **_'You will go to father now and obey.' _**Hana felt the spell wrap around her, forcing her to obey, and she tried one last time to scream as she fell thorough space only to land before a crystal with a dark hair man entombed within. 

Coldly, her face devoid of the weak, powerless, emotions that were attempting to overtake her, Aniketo turned once more and walked down the narrow path that curved and twisted it way throughout the woods. 

* * *

__

…Later that day

Aniketo could feel the tears that stained her pale, white face, _~ he forced me to kill them, to take them. How could he, he promised me they could live. ~ _

She wiped the tears from her face, determination filling her, as she grabbed desperately to her father words. Do not display weakness, and emotions are weakness. _~ Emotions are not for one such as I. Emotions are the things that make you weak and a victim. Father only did it so I could be strong. He does love me. Yes, I know this… for father has told me many times. Still he made me…no, father loves me and I need him. ~ _

Aniketo looked up at the sun, what….some how I turned around, I don't remember coming this way. I was heading away from the sun. Towards the west. _~ But since reaching these woods, I feel more than I ever have… Why?_ _Why did this area feel so familiar to me as well? ~_

She paused and then opened her senses… this area of the forest was teaming with energy and seemed important to her, but why? She could perceived within herself a foreign need…almost an irrepressible compulsion to come here… to this part of the forest during the last few days, _~ I know this place, and yet I do not remember coming this way before. ~_

**__**

'Father,' Anikito, feeling completely overwhelmed, called to her only support, she called to that spot in her mind were her father normally resided, but received no answer for the first time. _~ Where was he, I need him. ~_. 

**__**

'Father,' she called urgently once again as worry began to freeze herabout his lack of response _~ Where could he be? ~_, **_' Father, where are you?'_**

'Aniketo, I am here.' Naraku forced warm and love into his****voice to put her worries to rest as he thought with an evil smile to himself. _~ Can not the stupid little bitch be alone for a minute, I'm busy with my miko soul. ~ _

She was beginning to create a feeling of uneasiness in him, his spell should have made her completely loyal to him, an emotionless, unquestioning doll. 

It had taken his spell five long years to form Aniketo, to create and give her the powers he wanted her to have. _~ Five long year, ~_ Naraku thought, _~ that miko bitch, Kagome, I'll make sure she pays for trapping me. I'll destroy everything she love and then owe her, body and soul. The bitch… she'll beg me to die be fore I'm through with her... ~_

~ But first my new little, miko soul. I have plans for you, girl. ~ Naraku watched the soul he had forced Aniketo to take, as it floated in front of him chained to him, _~ Yes, such a delicious, wonderful plan. ~_

But still, back to that ungrateful child of his, she was changing, Aniketo was become something more. It had to be this area, ever since she had entered this forest, Inuyasha forest she had begun to feel and to think for herself. _~ This was not acceptable. ~** 'It's all right child. I was simple resting.'**_

'Father, where were you, you left me alone again.' Aniketo voice trembled trapped somewhere between angry and fear, '**_I can't stand to be alone, and how could you, you force me to take them after you promised me.'_**

'I know, child, but this tire me so. The soul—Daughter I needed that for something important, its miko energy and can help sustain me. I won't hurt it, I promise, but being trapped here, in this crystal, it drains me so. When you free me, I will free it to reenter the next life. I promise my dear. But you must free me soon, Aniketo. I grow so weak.' Naraku infused his voice with weakness, and it echoed in her head. 

**__**

'I will father, I will.' Aniketo replied, **_'rest then, father, later we can talk, but don't leave me along.'_**

'A village is not very far away.' She could feel the pull of the villager's souls ahead of her. _'I will harvest them for father.'_

Aniketo glided down the path, the sun glittered down on her and through the trees she could see a clearing and there in the middle was an old well. As she walked up to it she again felt that that strange compulsion. 

Puzzled, Aniketo gazed down into the old well and reached out to touch it, only to fearful pull her hand back, she could fill the energy from dozens, if not hundreds of dead youkai who had been disposed of within it. It had obviously been used as a mass grave for dead youkai, but by whom, she did not know.

Hmm…during her travels for some strange reason she felt attracted to this area… a compulsion to see it and as she had drawn closer to it, it had become uncontrollable. Here she felt safe here in these strange woods. 

The energy and magic of the surrounding forest tickled across her skin and absorbed in to her very being, almost calming her and she knew that this place was important to her for some reason. 

Pissed, Naraku thought, _~ it her blood, it call to her, the miko bitch… yessss, the blood I had taken from her, the blood of a pure innocent that I mix with mine to make my creation, it was attempting to purify her of his influence. Always that bitch Kagome came back to haunt him. Inuyasha's bitch. ~_

Naraku smirked in pleasure as he remembered her screams and tears as Inuyasha laid dead before her, a gaping, blood hole thorough his chest where once his heart had lain. 

He growled to himself, _~ Still the blood…it is blatantly attempting to drive me out… Aniketo is mine. Mine… my property, my creation, my tool, and no miko blood would change that. ~ _He would not allow it to succeed, Naraku smiled in twisted enjoyment at the thought of the mikos' anguish when she learned what he had created with her blood, what he had turned her daughter into. _~ A machine meant solely for killing, far worse than killing, a soul reaper.. ~ _

Yes, he could not wait for the miko to find that he had taken her blood and joined it to his to create a soul reaper, that every luscious, painful, death had been caused by her blood…her first born daughter. _~ Yes, Inuyasha's beloved Kagome would suffer. ~_

* * *

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That it for now everyone.

Please read and review.


	10. Chapter 10 Old enemies and friends

**Disclaimer: Inuyasha is the property of its creator. **

**Author Notes: **Hey, everyone. I know it been forever and a day! But I've been so busy with school. But I want to say thank you if you've reviewed.

**So thank you for the reviews.**

They were great!!! I really like to get them because they let me know that someone is reading this and that they like it. That helps when I'm writing so that I have some inspiration. But please remember that this is my first story so be a little lenient senses about mistakes.

I try to get my chapters out as often as I can—but between work, school, and everything else it's sometimes very difficult.

So far I have made Kagome very, very accepting in the fic, (maybe to accepting) because she is in the anime. Look how much she has put up with… the whole Kikyou and Inuyasha thing. By now, if it had been me, I would have skewered her and kicked Inuyasha in his…. We'll just say that he wouldn't like it. But tolerates only goes so far…

So look out for the fireworks now.

Thank You

**Cerulean Rose**

**Chapter 10**

**_…Assembly of the Gods_**

"She must be **STOPPED**!!!"

"What action would you call for, my daughter? We do not interfere" he stressed sternly as he watched the scene unfold before him, "we have never interfered with a mortal life's free will. Humans and youkais must be able to make their own decisions and earn their punishments or paradises. We do not interfere." the large elderly man stressed once more as he lounged against the back of his throne with a regal air and stroked his long white beard as he awaited the response he was sure would come.

"**You ask me "WHAT TYPE OF** **A RESPONSE?" IT'S REALLY SIMPLE, I WANT HER DEAD!** My children, lost." furiously she looked at him, sitting so calmly on his golden throne as their children's souls were being stolen by this girl, _It wasn't as if he needed his worshipers, but she did! _

"Our worshipers are dying and their souls are being stolen from us. **I WILL NOT BE DIMINISHED IN THIS WAY**." She angrily hissed out. "Can't you see that this little fool will do anything for Naraku? This girl is limitless in the souls she can take. Who knows if we'll get our children back?!"

The woman brimming with outrage swepted across the floor, her willowy figure draped in the warmth of the sun, yellows, reds, and golds, as she made her demands of the large man.

Her long black hair fell in rippling waves down her back almost with a life of its own, as she finally turned away from the image of a now cold faced Aniketo walking away from the withered remains of Hana and Hiroshi as it was splashed across the wall of the temple.

She turned, her anger hot and fiery, her eyes burning with twin suns, as she looked into the face of the first of them, and the creator of them all…their father who was quietly sitting upon his throne. "We may have never interfered with free will before, you say that we have given them the right to chose for themselves and make their mortal destiny. I know this…it has always been our law. We do not kill."

"Yea, I know this. But still…I want that bitch dead!"

A large, muscular man his hair pulled into a top knot and dressed in blood stained armor stood and spoke, his booming voice filled with swords clashing and war drums drumming to the father, "We have always allowed mortals to make of themselves what they can."

He turned and exchanged a long look with his livid sister before one more turning to his father, "Good, bad it has always been the same to us, father."

He paused, "But this one, she is not natural, she was not born of this world…she is a construct, a golem. She takes what she has no right to… the souls that are ours. We must act." To drive home his point, his demand for action his fist hit the palm of his other hand.

"We did nothing when Kikyou was reborn with the witch's magic, as she stool the soul of young girls, she had limits to what she could take. We did nothing when Naraku birthed Kana she to had limits and her victims could be freed if saved in time. She sustained them. She was at least born of his body. I tire of this. This time we must act." A buxom woman barely dressed in red silk called for their attention as she reclined gracefully onto a pillow and silk covered sofa, her scent wafted throughout the room—a scent filled with the warmed of fertility and spiced with sweat, desire and sex.

"But he has gone too far this time, his insolence knows no bounds, he has dared to mingled his blood with that of a heaven-child, a miko, one of our special children, and what did he **CREATE?**!" With this she stood her body swaying in an unfelt wind as her emotions began to over take her and she trembled in quiet fury.

"He created a child born of the foulest type of magic, this—this thing is an abomination in our sight, we must act on this impertinence, and Naraku must be made to pay!"

"The miko was our chosen. She is ours. Yes?" The sound of swords clashed thought the room and he paused and looked at the others to mark their reactions to this statement. Each of his sisters and brothers nodded in agreement and he when on.

"So, brothers and sisters, our chosen once more she must be. This…this thing is blood of her blood, so then let it be her responsibility, as it should be. She must somehow redeem it or kill it. I care not which." Drums and swords clashed as he spoke, his hard face was cold, icy, and his blood stained armor glowed for a moment as he moved closer to the sun filled one as he pronounced sentence on his condemned prisoner.

All it once, filled with doubt, with the question was plainly written on her face as she looked with sun filled eyes at her brother. _How can we condemn this child… but how can we not? How to we save both our children and this girl? _

"We exist as powers only as long as we are worshiped, that is how it is and has always been. One god is born and another fall to the wayside. I will not be diminished anymore." She spoke softly, her face hardening as it filled with resolve and the woman with the sun filled eyes spoke again to her father, the first of them all and charged. "This child must be dealt with. What do we do, father, the decision must be yours."

The father of them all turned and focused on the image before him, tuning it with his will and freezing it on another image… Aniketo dirty hands rubbing her tear stained face… he stood quietly as he watched her, his mind overflowing with worries.

_What to do? Order the girl's death or attempt to redeem her?! And if we attempt to redeem her how? How to save this girl? Could it even be done? But to order her death…for simple existing? _

He then stood with a swish of white robes and looked down at his children as they clamored for action and demanded that he… Yes, **He!!!** The Creator—He who give life—Pass judgment and sentence this unhappy, unfortunate child, "If I condemn this girl, which of you will act? Which one of you will take a life and move to save your peoples? Who will thrust home the knife?" He hissed out and then paused to await an answer… but received none.

Even the Lord of Battles looked away—blood was his coin, but a coin he had never spilled himself—he was the embodiment of the pains of war not a killer himself. The Father again looked at the images on the wall in front of him, of a young, crying child and motioned for the rest to look.

"Ahh, yes, it is as I thought, each of you calls for a solution to this child but will offers no help yourselves. Each mortal life has always been what that life has created for itself. We, their Gods, may interfere with minor acts… but for anything such as this? To kill? To call one before their appointment with death? The fates give each live a given number of days and they then must meet their appointment with your mother. However this child was created she now has life—her name entered into the book of days. Humans and youkai then can be reborn or reach enlightenment. We have always had one rule--"

His shame-faced children looked away from him and he turned from them his shoulders squaring as he made his decision—his thoughts deep and troubled by the actions he must order only to be interrupted.

A normally round and jolly man stood, disturbed by the words, he was the protector of children it was his duty and honor and was this not a child, even if she was an strange, abnormal one, and when he spoke his normally happy, laughing voice was filled with the crying of children.

"Act we must, I know. Souls that should be bound for the underworld are trapped and denied their rebirth. The book of days is gone, destroyed. The child must be stopped. Yea I understand that, but then what?"

He stood, turned and looked at each of the others in the temple. "Father? Brothers? Sisters? What of that child, for a child she is. Strange and unnatural as you have called her, but still a child all the same. She laughs, she cries… she longs. She did not ask for this life, will we condemn her or save her…"

He paused and cocked an eyebrow in puzzlement, "Can we even save her? I have never experienced anything like this, Naraku's other detachments where born of his body…thus they possessed souls. But this creature…." He paused he would not repeat their mistakes and denied this child life, "This Child… she is a soulless creature and yet she lives… what of this child?"

The protector of children looked at the crying child that had caught and held his father attention, "the child is not the problem. The real question is how to stop Naraku, break his connect to her, and free her. Father, could a soul be found for the child?"

The father looked at his son, "That is a difficult question, is it not? It has never been done before, to place a soul within a body already born. Who—what identity would take precedence? The girl personality or the soul's the struggle that would result, who would win control? Is it even possible?"

A look of puzzlement crossed his bearded face, "That this something that even I don't know, my son, hmm, yea, even I do not know. I will speak with your mother."

Suddenly, the protector of children laughed as his face erupting with childish glee, "Ha, Ha, Ha. Oi, oh, oh, I have a plan…a trick for Naraku." The other's looked on with alarm and mistrust at their brother's glee as he rubbed his hands together in glee.

_It's never good to see that look on his face. _spooked and frightened at his glee, they had each been on the receiving end of that look, they each thought to themselves almost beginning to pity Naraku. Almost. "Yes, we've been looking at this wrong. The girl is not the problem, Naraku is the problem."

He sobered and calling his will he turned the image covering the wall to Naraku's tomb, "So we must take the girl from Naraku. The Lord of Battles is correct the girl is blood of the miko…so she is her responsibility. I believe it's time for her to mother her child. But first we must separate the child from Naraku influence, and to do that Naraku must release his hold on her mind."

"That still leaves the problem of Naraku. The Shikon no Tama shards have given Naraku near immortality, but not true immortality. My orb could kill him." Okuni-Nushi, god of sorcery and medicine looked up from his normal single minded examination of his orb and called out, "As you know, the child of fate has returned the miko to this time breaking the bonds of time and destiny and trapping the girl here…"

"Yes, she foresaw the return of Naraku, but what she did was irresponsible, foolish—only an object of power with the help of a god can open a gate through time, she could have destroyed this world if her spell had gone wrong. Once before we turned away, closed our eyes, and allowed the breaking of the time barriers for the girl, to keep the Shikon no Tama from Naraku's hands, but the miko had served her purpose here and been sent home to make her destiny. Her time had been assigned. Her days numbered. Already the time stream has changed and the future has clouded. The child of fate will be punished." The father of them all, his voice booming with the force of a volcano's fire as it lashed outs, his fury bathed the room.

Okuni-Nushi started to reply but paused as he felt a touch of magic brush against him. He turned in his seat and watched as a woman shape vaguely appeared before him. _The child of Fate. Humph, speak of a devil and they shall appear. _

He looked at her…catching her eyes with the full force of his power and she gasped and trembled as his eyes caught hers and held her. Trapping her with the intensity of a snake trapping a mouse with his gaze before he has lunch.

She watched, struggling to move, held in place with in the grip of his gaze, as he reached out one hand as if to touch her face only to pause with a knowing smirk and then with his other place his orb in her hands.

When she attempted to refuse to take it, shaking her head back and forth, knowing pain would come her hands where slowly forced up to reach though the smoke to him and she took the orb from his hand.

The moment that the orb touched her skin her mind and body were flooded with pain as his anger filled voice, a deep booming sound of waves crashing against the rocks of the ocean, began echoing endlessly thorough her mind and body.

"We know what you have done, child of fate, and there will be a reckoning. You have dared what the gods will not, you have disrupted time and changed its order of destiny. The girl destiny had been written for another time she was to stay in the future, but now that future is cloudy and unclear. But this is another matter, for another time."

"We have decided to take a hand in this matter for Naraku endangers all our children." He paused and looked away for a minute as if listening to another's voice as his father voice filled his mind.

"You will go to the Western Lands and tell it Lord that his mate is in danger, give him the knowledge and power he needs to be our champion and defeat Naraku. When the moment is right, tell the woman she has a daughter."

He paused again as if listening to another and the lady sighed as the pain began to lessened only to gasp aloud when it started again as he went on, "Take the orb to him for only a Tai youkai with great power can hope to use its power and perhaps live. He must hold the orb as his mate channels her powers though it. When Naraku is weakened, then the Tai youkai can strike."

"We, your gods, the gods of greater Japan, desire that Naraku meet the Ruler of the Underworld…"

"See that the Lord of the West succeed, child of fate."

With a flick of his wrist the god of sorcery and medicine sent the child of fate away. __

The father shared a long look with his son, the protector of children and then looked out at his children, his children that were changing the order of the cosmos and ordered. "Today, my children, we will break that rule… today we act."

"Now we need to separate Naraku from the girl." The Protector of children nodded to his father then turned and walked away, "I'll believe that I can take care of separating the girl from Naraku, father, if you will have someone warn the villages as she approaches them."

**_…Voices on the wind_**

_Voices were calling on the wind._

_Dread _

_Fear us _

_Stay for us _

_Uneasiness _

_Flight from us _

_Wariness _

_Hide from us _

_Flee while you can. _

Shaking with fear, Kaede stood and watched as Inuyasha's forest darkened with a foreboding overtone, a screech that promised trouble and death. _What is happening out there? Afraid. I'm Afraid… but of what? And why these emotions, these feelings…a warning, yes, yes it is a warning, but of what? _

The forest was being taken over by an indefinable shadow…a creeping, slithering, darkness, a stain from some dank, nether world. Kaede hadn't felt this way since the last time she was in Naraku's presence, as he is miasma slithered along the ground.

Feeling her miko senses tingling across her skin, Kaede shivered once again and wrapped her arms around herself as she fought the desire to gather her villagers and flee the area, to run as fast and as far as possible.

Voices, intense voices warning us to escape.

Something –or someone was coming.

_Flee, flee, run away, be quick...before it too late_. A woman's voice called. She swallowed, her throat felt so dry, she could hear the whispers on the wind.

_Yes, voices calling—the voices of the dead. Of souls lost. Something's coming, something evil and yet… there purity mixed in as well. Holy powers. What is it? One part of this invokes fear and dread… the other is a warning to run. What is coming? Who is coming? _Kaede paused as a shimmer blue fog appeared beside a tree at the edge of the forest.

_What was that _she watched in trepidation, as a large man slowly began to materialize out of the fog, his bloodstain armor gleaming in the setting evening sun and he wore a mask of brash colors, demons signed, he simple stood there, waiting.

He was…

Watching…

Watching her.

Watching the village she was sworn to protect. His presence gave off a horrible chill, a warning that she had heard on the evening wind.

Kaede stumbled back in fear and knew that she was looking at the Lord of War, Master of Battles, Father of Youkai.

Frightfully, with her thoughts rolling through her mind as one turned on another, her confusion was reined in as Kaede began to realize one thing with clarity. _A warning received from the gods should never be ignored…the gods give only so many changes…and a warning not heeded can destroy you. Yes, we're leaving. _

Her thoughts clearing for the first time that night, Kaede took one last look at the Lord of War, before timidly bowing to him she then turned and ran back to her village as quickly as she could.

_They were leaving. _

**_'Everyone is gone? Father, where are they? Where did they go?' _**Aniketo stood quietly on the outskirts of the abandon village of Edo and scanned the area with her mind as she let her father see thorough her eyes, with a slight pout she thought, **_'I was going to harvest here for you.'_**

**_'Someone warned them we were coming and ruined my revenge!'_** Naraku gashed out, now provoked beyond all endurance, he had been looking forward to destroying this village, leaving a dead, husk strewn village as his calling card for that bitch of a miko. _The miko's pain would have been wonderful, a taste so sweet and tempting. _****

**_'What do we do now, father, since they have fled? Should I go to the cavern were they have your body?' _**

**_'No, I have been moved. Look around first, Aniketo, maybe someone in hiding. I want to know who warned them we were coming. Oh, they will pay. I had plans for this place. I'm going to rest. Call me if you find anyone.'_**

_Hopefully Kaede is here somewhere. Maybe I can still leave the miko a calling card. _Naraku thought with an evil smile before he turned his attention inward to think and watched with a distracted eye as his chained miko floated in front of his crystal casket.

Not far away hidden by the underbrush, a round and jolly man, watched from his hiding place as the girl surveyed the village as Naraku had ordered. He smiled as he watched Naraku's attention wandered from the girl, leaving him free to enter her mind.

He quietly sent his mind out tamping down and controlling his power as he took his place, as he mind spoke with a whisper, feigning Naraku's subconscious voice and attempted to cloud Naraku's mind _she's a fool, a little idiot. All she had to do was reach this village and take the souls here—a simple task—yet even this she couldn't do. Even with Kagura rebellious behavior, she was a better minion. I want—need out that they— that bitch would dare trap me! Me!!_

The protector of children slided his words into Naraku's carefully. _It's the miko's blood, it damaged my spell, I need to be out there myself. But how? How do I get out when I am trapped behind this crystal? _

Naraku seethed in frustration. _I'll rip that girl apart for daring to trap me. The bitch. Inuyasha's whore. A false miko—I…Naraku—trapped by a false miko... A bitch less than the dirt below my feet, how dare she. _Naraku, unable to get to the bitch he wanted, sent a wave of energy into his chained, trapped miko and smiled with a chilling joy as he heard Hana's screams of pain filling his mind.

**_'Does it hurt, bitch, this is her fault you know. The pain you feel. All she had to do was give me what was mine… the Shikon no Tama. I deserved it, I won it from Inuyasha and Kikyou…it was mine. MINE!!! Hate her as I hate her. My little false miko.'_**

The round and jolly man planted the first of many seeds._ Aniketo needs to go to the castle…maybe there I can find a way to escape. _

**_'Aniketo'_** Naraku called, hiding what he was doing to the miko soul from her. **_'We're leaving now, this place hold nothing for us, began walking towards the setting sun.'_**

**__**

**__**

**__**

****

****

**_…the morning after _**

Squeak, squeak, squeak, the low sound encircled Kagome and pulled her toward wakefulness. Kagome slited her eyes and tensed as the sound of footsteps on the wooden floor filtered into her sleeping mind, her instinctive flight or fight response kicking in and adrenal began to flow through her.

She was not alone.

_Who's there? _She released her claws, they slide out of her fingers and she dug them into the futon beneath her. She could feel someone in the room with her, someone that did not belong.

Kagome felt the air around her become heavy with the presence of another as she delicately sniffed as she played as if she was still asleep and attempted to identify the aromas floating in the air.

Sniff, whiff…no make that the scent of two someones. She forced a growl down, must be quiet.

_The essences with in the aromas…. are familiar. Mmm, these scents are not dangerous—prey. _ Kagome relaxed with that thought, yawned and then stopped in shook, had she really thought of someone as prey? Bleary-eyed and still half-asleep, a shocked Kagome looked up to see Ami-ria and Amita exiting the newly cleaned room and walk into the lavatory and bathing room.

As she sifted her body ached, an ache deep within her bones, causing Kagome to moaned slightly as she turned over onto her side, pulling a pillow up to cover her head as the mid morning sun streamed much to merrily for her thorough the balcony doors and then proceeded to cheerfully bathed her face.

_Acck. The sunlight is way too bright for this early, especially when I feel like this. _

_Owwwww. _

_Kami, why do I feel so bad? I really, really, really hurt, _Kagome felt a particularly hard twinge in her back. _ What happened? _

Kagome, as she laid sprawled on the large futon and began to take stock of her body— from her head, neck, to the inside of her thighs to her…. _Sesshoumaru! Sex.. we.. together…OH, OH, Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Kami. _

_I… had… sex… with… Sesshoumaru…sex with…Really good sex…but still…with Sesshoumaru._ Kagome eyes widened as flashes of them appeared before her eyes, shocking her as she remembered what she had been doing over the last few days.

She turned over to lay there and looked up at the high ceiling. She could still smell the scent of lust and sex hovering in the room.

_Oh, my. _She thought and her face flushed, she had felt strange as she served the meal, she remembered something said about a drug… but what about it. Scenes began to flashed across her mind and then and then what…his lips gently touching hers…then fire, they had… his teeth in her neck, his heavy body on hers, and then…What. _Oh, my. _

_Sex Oh, my kami, lots of sex. Oh, my. _Kagome blanched as she remembered other snippets. On her knees… against the wall…back to the bed…then…oh, yes, the wall several time, _Oh, my, oh, my. _

…He had bent her over the table…on her hand and knees, again…the floor then back to the table. She remembered her nails scoring his back and chest as she screamed in pleasure she remembered his yells, roars of satisfaction.

_Oh, Oh, Oh, oh, kami, how will I face him again? How will I face any of them, they heard. They had to have. _

She moved and gasped, _oh, I hurt. _She slowly raised the blanket and looked down at her skin, the peaches and cream skin tone was marred by marks and bruises, and Kagome blanched as she slowly begin to remember how each came to be.

Kagome flushed and shivered in remembered pleasure, the sheer sensuality and the enjoyment she received with his every touch, his every caress. _He made me beg... _

Sesshoumaru had made her beg him in the end, beg him to take her and then made her promise what ever he wanted, Kagome frowned, _now I just have to remember what I did promise. _

The last part of her… her what? The only word she could think of to describe it was heat… _a heat like an animals'… _Kagome frowned, she didn't like that term… heat, but could not think of another.

Her… heat was a haze, with little remembered but flashes of emotions and images of sex. A lot of sex. A lot of sex with **SESSHOUMARU!!!** The normally cold fish Lord of the Western Lands.

But what she did remember was that she had been promised two or more weeks before they would… _They lied. Abigeru lied to me. I was starting to like her…trust her. She seemed so nice. But I heard something about a drug, didn't I? He said…No, they lied… they tricked me. _Tears formed in her eyes…

I wanted Inuyasha to be my first. But that was impossible… she knew, Kagomes' breath came hissing out as her hands covered her face as it flushed with anger and embarrassment. _But I never would have chosen Sesshoumaru. _

Eimi carrying another beautiful kimono for her new lady opened the large oak doors, and held it open for Lady Abigeru as she preceded her into the room. Eimi was pleasantly surprised to see that Lady Kagome was already awake this morning and sitting up, she had been sure they would have an impossible time getting her to wake up let alone sitting up.

"Ah, good, Kagome, you're awake. I thought you'd still be asleep but I suppose you're hungry, yes?" Abigeru smiled and spoke cheerfully, as she walked into the room, carefully scenting the air and looked the girl over as she sifted on the bed. "It has been several days seen you've eaten. Sesshoumaru-sama wishes the pleasure of your company for breakfast if you feel up to it."

_Hmm, not much blood or at least not enough to matter. _Abigeru thought.

Abigeru was relieved that the girl seemed to be fine, except for a few bruises and some unmistakably sore muscles, it was common knowledge that sometimes the first mating of a couple could get very violent.

Rolling her eyes, Abigeru approached the young, headstrong girl who was hiding her face with her hands. And Kagome especially seemed to her to be the type that would die before submitting to a man even a male as powerful as Sesshoumaru.

Outraged, Kagome looked up and watched as an almost humming… Yes, Humming! Abigeru walked over to the bed.

Abigeru sighed, _She's so young, a pup almost, and I don't know what Sesshoumaru will do with this one. She'll never give his the submission he will demand. Her instincts are all wrong. Unfortunately she a pup with none of the natural instincts of an inu youkai pup. _

"Good…Good morning." Kagome replied as her anger and embarrassment fought with her intrinsically good manners, but years of having them being drilled into her by her mother easily won out. Her voice had squeaked as she looked at the Kitsune maid and Inu youkai lady, knowing full well from their flared nostrils that they could see and smell the signs of sex in the room.

_They know, I knew they know. What Sesshoumaru and I did._ __

_Oh, Kami, _Kagome thought as embarrassment took over and her face turned even redder, _they really do know what we, what **I did**, they don't need to see the evidence of it because they can smell it. _

_I won't be embarrassed. They should be… they're the one that lied. But a drug… I did hea… no, they lied. Liar _she felt betrayed. Kagome knew she was being silly, she should give them time to explain, but she didn't care. She wanted to be silly and stubborn right now. In fact right now if she was being silly and stubborn she knew she would be screaming and throwing thing in a rage. Kagome thought with a hard angry look at Abigeru, as she fought her embarrassment back, she wasn't going to give in they had lied—and that was that—to her at every turn as far as she was concerned_. _

_Abigeru can act as cheerful as she wants, I not going to talk to them. I won't trust them again. I was supposed to have at least two weeks to find some way out of here, to escape and find Shippo. They ruined it. Liars. _

"I can tell you're very sore this morning, that normal with a first mating. You're bath has been prepared by Ami-ria and Amita they have added herbs that will help with your soreness. We'll help you up, all right? "

Kagome couldn't help it she had to say it, "You lied to me." She hissed angrily, her face red as the emotions of embarrassment, betrayal and anger rolled right through her. She watched as Abigeru shook her head side to side and she insisted with a hissed," You **DID**"

"I didn't, Sesshoumaru wanted to explain about this, but…Kagome, you and Sesshoumaru where drugged, a very powerful aphrodisiac that provoked an early heat in you. There was nothing we could do once it came on you, you had to mate. We did not lie to you." She sighed when the accusations didn't leave Kagome's stubborn face. "That's all I'll say about it, you must speak with Sesshoumaru."

Kagome turned her nose up and looked away from Abigeru as she read the look on her face, _I'll be stubborn and unreasonable if I want! _She thought, almost sticking her tongue out at the older woman.

Looking away from Kagome, Abigeru allowed her face to harden as she thought of the reasons for the girl's early mating, a magical spell that induced fertility. _Who would dare drug the Lord of the Western Land, in his own castle? Causing him to lose face to his new mate? To Sesshoumaru honor is everything, whoever did this would pay for it. Bloodily. _

Abigeru reached for the robe lying on the end of the bed and attempted to pull the blanket back only to have a blushing Kagome grab it and hold it to her. "What?"

"No." Kagome stuttered as she blushed once again, her emotions boiling to the surface, with mortification wining out. "I'm naked!"

She noticed the look on Kagome red face. _She's shy? With the way she screamed over the last few days? _"Ah, Eimi help me with the robe please." Carefully they wrapped the robe around the sheet covered Kagome, tied it, before pulling the sheet away from her.

"You'll feel much better after a bath, my dear."

"Now that you're ready, I'll show you the way to the dinning room, Kagome-sama, please follow me." Leading the way from Sesshoumaru quarters, Abigeru smiled and laughed silently as she kept up a cheerful dialogue with a fuming embarrassed Kagome. "Just think, soon you'll know your way around the castle and won't even need someone to show you to where you're going."

Abigeru shook her head Kagomes' thoughts were completely obvious, they were written on her face as plain as if she was screaming the words. She was still in pain, at least slightly, and also enraged, because she was sure that they all had lied to her.

_Perhaps I should explain more… _She paused to think. _No. She must learn to look to Sesshoumaru, he's her marked mate and that bond is forever. _

Abigeru almost smiled but hide it from Kagome, Kagome had decided she was going to ignore them no matter what and had attempted to refuse to speak to either of them when they had talked to her. The poor girl had been so sore that she could barely move and luckily that caused her angry was to be only a minor irritation or the girl most likely would have exploded.

As Kagome followed Abigeru down the long hallways, she kept casting hard looks at the female inu youkai as she carefully walked down the long curved steps that lead to the front hall of the castle.

Kagome almost moaned out loud, she had never been so sore in her life, but at least she was now able to move after Eimi and Abigeru had pried her out of bed and helped her to the bath were she had soaked in the hot water. Then Ami-ria and Amita had given her a massage to loosen up her tight, tense muscles.

She was feeling a little better, but still she hurt, Kagome's eyes hardened_, Lair _her eyes drilled into the back of Abigeru head as she followed her. They walked down the long hallway to a large black shoji door. The servant standing at attention beside the door, bowed, and then opened it as they neared.

"Well, I will leave you here and go notify Sesshoumaru that you're ready. I'll see you at lunch."

"Humph" Kagome replied, as she looked away from Abigeru. Angrily, Kagome turned her nose up at her and gave her a regally dismissing nod, which Abigeru knew would have done Sesshoumaru proud when he was at his most arrogant.

_What am I going to do? I'm mated to Sesshoumaru and it's permanent, I can feel it. I can feel the need to please him… I'm being silly… _Kagome paused at that thought as she walked around the low table to the large window overlooking the courtyard gardens. _Oh, the bastard. Let's think about something positive. At least the bruises are healing and I'm less sore than I was. _

Still Kagome could already feel and see the results of her body healing she did like that about being youkai, not having to wait for days or weeks for an injury to heal. _I mean, I'm healing but nowhere near the way Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had healed, shouldn't she be all the way healed by now? It was just sore muscles and a few bruises. I've seen Inuyasha with a hole in his chest that healed within a few days._

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In his study with paperwork spread across his desk, Sesshoumaru leaned back in his chair. His paper work was forgotten as he gazed out the window as he waited for word that Kagome was ready to join him for breakfast that morning. He knew that the girl would be furious with them—with him. She was going to be sure that she been lied to, he sighed this morning was going to be difficult.

He turned back to his paper work with another sigh and a roll of his eyes—his little bitch would have to learn to behave, it would be a hard lesson for a girl use to running wild with his hanyou brother.

_But she would learn. _He thought as his face blank farther.

Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth and flashed his fangs at the thought of Inuyasha ever having touched Kagome. _She's mine. Inuyasha. I'm jealous. Jealous of my lowborn, hanyou brother. _

_Kagome…She belongs to me now and I will not share her with a ghost. I will drive him from her mind. _He paused as he smelled and heard Abigeru coming down the hall and forced the emotions from his face, leaving only his normal bland expression.

_She another problem. _One of the carefully worded letters lying on his desk was yet another offer for Abigeru from one of his lords this time Sushi, an inu youkai, wanted her for his youngest son, Tomili. _My Abigeru wasted on a young fool with no honor and little brains, a waste since the first time his mother placed him to her teat. The stupid bitch should have strangled him before his first feeding. _

To refuse the offer would insult a high member of his court… but to have his blood mingled with that boy's. Sesshoumaru shuttered. _Hmm, Sushi only wants her for her link to the Western Throne. If I died and I'm sure he has already arranged an "ACCIDENT", Sushi would have her puped and in concubine chambers and Tomili on the throne as a puppet within a week. _

_And then some unfortunate accident would befall her after her pup was born. Maybe it was time to arrange an "accident" of my own _Sesshoumaru thought, _yes, an accident_ _for the young fool and his father. The Western Lands are dangerous, after all. Hmm, it has been a while since my last lesson to the court. _

_Abigeru need a mate that can be trusted as well…but who. _

Knock, Knock. The sound echoed throughout the large room.

"Enter, Cousin." _This isn't important now. _Sesshoumaru force his body to relax and he leaned back into his chair as he watched as Abigeru entered the room.

"Good morning, Cousin," Abigeru replied with her normal easy smile, but her eyes showed she was hiding something from him. "It's a wonderful day, isn't it? I showed Kagome-sama to the breakfast room. The cook is only waiting for your presence and orders to begin serving breakfast."

_Hmm, I order her to breakfast as well. _Sesshoumaru with the training of many years, easy read her guilt and responded with a raised eyebrow and a minute narrowing of his eyes as he noticed that she had left herself out of it _I want Kagome and Abigeru to form a friendship not just to easy Kagome into her new responsibilities but because Abigeru has been lonely too. _

"You will eat with us, yes?" Sesshoumaru with the intensity of a hungry eagle spying a mouse as he watched his cousin playing with the folds of her kimono, a nervous gesture held over from childhood. She always played with her kimono when she was attempting to hide something. _ Hn. She lying...no, not lying, his cousin would not lie to him, but she would try to turn my attention from something. Now what? _

"I rose early this morning, and had already eaten before I received your invitation. You should go, Kagome is waiting for you." Abigeru smiled nervously and chattered away, knowing Sesshoumaru would not be happy with her for eating with Jiro without his presence if he found out.

Jiro was not a lord…in fact, he was only the peasant son of farmers, and there had been much rumbling from the minor lords when he had been promoted to master of arms of the castle above the sons of those nobles, and then there was that other thing a lady didn't eat or stay in the presence of a male not of her direct family without a chaperon.

_We didn't do anything… Although, I sometime wis-- _Abigeru sighed wishfully, _I like Jiro. But it would be viewed as indecent and Sesshoumaru always took great pain to avoid the appearance of indecency—it made him appear weak before the other lords—and in the world of the Lords of the Lands appearance and strength was everything…_ that was a harsh lesson that had been drummed into him by both his parent's families.

_She's hiding something from me…and I don't like it. Something about Jiro. _

"Did you now…" Sesshoumaru trailed off as he watched her eyes shadow with more guilt before she looked down, and then asked "What have you been doing for the last few days?"

"Nothing really…It took me a few days to get over the headache caused when you mind spoke me, you know that I never could tolerate that and I spent that a few hours in bed. Then after that I watched Rin for Jiro…She keep trying to sneak into the gardens after he told her not to—she keep saying that she forgot."

Sesshoumaru made a mental note to talk to Rin about that—her safety was important to him and she must listen to those that spoke in his name…but what was Abigeru hiding behind that innocent smile from him? _I will think on this. _

"Beside Kagome's very upset and sure that we lied to her, I don't think you want an audience for breakfast." Abigeru pretended to looked out the window as she every once in a while snuck a peak at Sesshoumaru from the corner of her eye, and watched as a patrol returning in the distance.

As she once again attempted to turn his attention from her as she said frowning. "A patrols coming in early, it looks as if they'll reach the castle within the next hour, would you like me to have a servant find Jiro to meet them? We can summon you if you're needed. You should go to breakfast, Kagome's probable hungry and you should be too, so why don't you eat and I'll see you at lunch?"

"Hn, yes, I suppose so. I'll be in the breakfast room if anyone needs me." Sesshoumaru said as he swept around and walked toward the door. "Ah, yes, cousin, we will be speaking of whatever you're attempting to hide later."

_Oh, my, that absolutely sounded like a threat. _Abigeru sighed.

_I can't just ignore him. Even though I would love to. _Nervous, frustrated, and slightly fearful all at once, Kagome was seated at the low table gazing out the window but she was not really seeing the beautiful well maintained landscape before her, which the castles' groundskeepers had obviously worked hours on.

Kagome had finally calmed down enough to see that it wasn't really Sesshoumaru's fault. Her mind wandered, her thoughts confused, every new instinct she possessed wanted her to submit to an obviously stronger mate, _how do I get into these situations? Do I have a sign on me that says please abuse me? Kidnap me, drug me, fuck me until I can't mov… _

_Oh, Kami. _Taken aback at her thoughts, Kagome slowly lowered her head to the table and rested it on her folded arms, she didn't even looked up as several servants came in carrying several trays. No, her attention was focused on the Taiyoukai she could hear walking toward the room she was in.

"Good morning, My Lord." She heard the servant greeting Sesshoumaru as he opened the door for him as he entered.

Sesshoumaru acknowledged the servant standing behind him in the doorway with a slight nod, and ordered "Kagome will serve us, Yoshi. You are dismissed." The servants bowed out of the room.

_Lovely. Just lovely. _Sesshoumaru stood quietly beside the door for a moment and looked at his prize before moving into the room and taking a seat at the head of the large table, as Kagome attempted to ignore him, but her scent gave her away.

It was a heady mixture, succulent even, a mixture that slide down his throat and made his fangs elongate with wanting to sink into her, her scent smelled of nervousness, anger, fear and….desire, Sesshoumaru found that he didn't like the smell of fear on her—as it and her other emotions perfumed the room.

_His delicate little bitch should not know fear of him—unless she deserved it_**** he thought in amusement and cynicism, _Hmm, was his little bitch was actually beginning to melt his icy, dark heart? _

_Oh, Kami's blessings help me. _ Kagome stirred up reluctantly and raised her head to look at him, and considered crying. Desires stirred in her and that still tender spot between her legs melted, and it was all she could do not to reach for him to pull his slim, powerful body into her arms.

_Oh, kami, what am I going to do? How does one man manage to be so lovely…so hot…so sexy…just so…so everything and then still look so very male? One look that all it took one look and I'm putty in his hands. _

In a minuscule change of expression, Sesshoumaru allowed a perceptive smirk to grace his lips, _His little bitch was not unaffected by him, and that pleased him, pleased him greatly. _

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_Damned instincts, wants to mother every kit in sight. _Hazuki went back to scouting ahead as Makkenji took care of the prisone—Err guests. She had been too disturbed by the little kitsune kit and his whimpering for his mother—although she did find it odd that such a very young kitsune was out running around with fire cat, and two humans—a priest and a youkai exterminator if her guest was right.

Hazuki had been fighting the instincts to mother the little one and she really didn't understand what the little one's mother had been thinking to leave a defenseless kit alone with humans…especially a priest and a youkai exterminator.

And if that was not bad enough they had picked up two other humans this morning and for some reason when the woman had instructed them to take her to Sesshoumaru they were almost half way there before she realized what she was doing.

_Taking orders from a human. _She thought with a shake of her head. _What's the world coming to? _

Hazuki looked at Makkenji—that damned inu youkai was smirking again! She watched as he wiped the expression from his face and gave her a bland look that didn't hide his wicked humor at her expense.

Hissing, she thought, _If Makkenji gave her one more smirk that implied she could not control her female instincts, she would…nothing. _She sighed, _I'll be glad to hand them off to Master Jiro. _She quickened her pace and motioned the patrol to pick up their pace as they followed her, as the castle came into view. _Let's get this over with. _

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_Hazuki's patrol—unusual _Jiro stood at attention, his shoulders thrown back and legs slightly apart, as he waited for the group coming up the mountain to reach him and he was surprised to note that they had four humans and a fire cat with them—Along with a kitsune kit? _Hmm, interesting. _

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Kagome sit quietly beside Sesshoumaru somehow, she was still not sure how but he had her serving his meal with one, simple look. _How does he do that? _Kagome shook her head at that and looked up as she hear thumps coming down the long hall outside the parlor, several people where marching down it.

The door slide open and…

_That smell…where have I? _Kagome paused in pouring more tea into Sesshoumaru's cup and sniffed, that scent…it was very familiar to her, important to her and smelled of earthy, like a mixture of evergreens and grass.

Sesshoumaru sighed, he recognized those scents quite well…he had smelled them every time he had visited with his younger brother. The youkai fire cat, the houshi and the exterminator, and two others humans, _hn _…with the young kit—he rolled his eyes. _Kagome will want the brat I'm sure, but first the bitch must ask and nicely. _

Sesshoumaru listened to the shard group as they argued with his Master at Arms is the hallway, Jiro was fighting a losing battle to keep the kit and exterminator in the hall until Sesshoumaru was summoned.

_That familiar. _Kagome thought as she heard the voices buzzing in the hallway and absent-mindedly laid the tea pot back down on the table as she turned to look at the door it was then that she hear a happy screech in the hallway and an orange and brown streak came zooming at her, yelling her name.

"Kagomeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee," Shippo screeched as he catapulted himself over the table and into Kagome's lap only to be grabbed by an outstretched hand.

_This was unacceptable behavior in his presence. _Sesshoumaru held the bothersome kit at arms length by the scuff of the neck, growling at Shippo when the pup attempted to nip, twist and struggled to get lose.

_He's got me, Kagomeeeeeeeeeeeeee, he's got me. _Shippo thought as he froze and whimpered before curling up into a little ball hanging from Sesshoumaru's hand. _Help me._

"Shippo-chan," Kagome stunned, her eyes lightening with happiness and filled with tears at the same time, _oh, I thought I would never see him again, _as she reached for him only to have Sesshoumaru stand and pull him away.

"Kagome, you must ask for him—nicely, and then I may let you have the brat. But you must ask." Sesshoumaru held the kit away from her. His eyebrow slowly rose as he heard the growl coming from her.

"He's mine, give him here." Kagome lunged up at Sesshoumaru hissing, driven to rage by Shippo's whimpering and the smell of fear coming from him and lunged for him only to have Sesshoumaru fly to the other side of the room. The necklace around her neck began to flare. "Give him back!"

"No. Control yourself, bitch. Do you want to hurt the--your pup?" Sesshoumaru instructed in a harsh growl as Kagome reached for Shippo again, he moved the kit away from his mother once more.

"Ask!" Sesshoumaru growled every time she reached for the pup and pulled him away.

_Just what I need another unruly bitch, who does not know her master. _Sesshoumaru could hear the exterminator yelling and attempting to pass Jiro to get into the room. He stood calmly and waited for Kagome to display the correct visual cues as the pup was doing, he was exhibiting the fact that he knew that he was in a more powerful male's presences and behaving with proper submission.

Sesshoumaru shook his head in dismay when he finally realized that the bitch didn't know the correct response to this situation. _ Training this girl to be obey me is going to be harder than I thought. _

He sighed when he heard Jiro yell and the youkai exterminator managed to enter the room and hissed at Kagome. "You'll have to ask in an appropriate way. He's not going to respond to a threat."

"I won't." Kagome stopped and looked at the other girl with a threat in her eyes, and then back at Sesshoumaru who had moved to the other side of the room, her eyes slowly tracking him to keep her kit in view.

Sango slowly approached Kagome after looking to Sesshoumaru for permission she may not like it but he was master here in his own home. She drew her to the other side of the room before whispering to Kagome, "He's master here Kagome, if you want Shippo returned to you, you'll have to ask for his permission for him to be here."

Kagome turned red and whispered back, "It's humiliating, Sango, he thinks he's my master. He's always ordering me around. "

Sango pointedly looked at Kagome's marked neck "What more important now? Your pride or Shippo's terror?"

Kagome flushed even brighter feeling ashamed when Shippo whimpered once more, before she turned to Sesshoumaru to ask in a breaking voice, "Please, Sesshoumaru, Oh, please let me have him."

"Please, may I have my son?" Kagome slowly walked up to Sesshoumaru and looked up at him, her pleading eyes once again filling with tears. _What if he sends Shippo away or worse yet hurt him? _

"You please me, little one." Sesshoumaru gently touched her face and with a nod and slight smile to show he was pleased with her asking him as she should, Sesshoumaru placed the pup in her arms.

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**Thank you for Reading my story.**

**Please review.**


	11. Chapter 11 Journey to the Mountains of D...

**If Disclaimer: Inuyasha is the sole property of its creator**.

Authors Note: Hey, everyone the preverbal bad penny is back again.

**Umm, yeah Shippo**—I realized I made a mistake in one of my earlier chapters I will go back and fix it later. In my story although he would be about 12 human years old, Shippo appears much younger, but I believe that youkai children would ages at a slower rate than human children because by the fact that they live so long., so they age 1 year for every 3, 4 or even 5 human years. So he has changed very little, just a little heavier and taller…about the size of a three or four year old.

Thanks

**_Cerulean Rose_**

**Chapter 11**

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**_…the mountains of daggers_**

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_Knives. The mountains look like blood stained knives. _After Aniketo had left the abandoned village of Edo, she followed the directions that Naraku had given her and walked west towards the sinister mountains that rose above the horizon and to an observer the ragged iron tarnished edges of the mountains left the impression of enormous knives stabbing at the sky.

_Broken. The life blood has been sucked out, I wander who did this? _Aniketo, with her normal quiet reserve, noted as she walked, that progressively the land around her became more and more desolate and that the very air she breathed in seemed to sheik that something evil had this way come.

In fact, as the mountains in the distant grow closer to her she realized that they seemed gripped with an increasingly desperate air and they in all their dark and moody glory seemed to try to claw at the evening sky in a vain effort to stop the sun from setting on their rapidly darken slopes.

The land and mountains around her were enclosed by clouds of miasmas that cut off the trees and animals from the life giving rays of the sun, leaving not only the broken trucks of the trees but the dead carcasses of humans, youkai and animals scattered as a marking of its deadly passing, but the unpleasant musky odor of mildew of a land that was saturated and hidden from the sun to long.

The clammy and sinister miasma, moving in swirls, obscured the area with a threatening air of intimidating hostility as the miasma glowed with a dark dazzlingly light, an unearthly luminosity that was simply put spellbindingly evil to those that beheld it, an malevolence light that attempted to take Aniketo's breathe and chock her as she walked through it.

With each step she took, Aniketo was surrounded by emptiness, a place where only the dead should walk and there was signs of the creatures that had once lived there. Indeed, the very air seemed to pause with an appearance of waiting and an unheard wail hovered, enthralling those who tried to walk it dark pathways.

_This mist. It covers the entire area and it's deadly, a poison laces through it. It's…this mist—it creates an air of unease in its victims. _She shivered.

To this miasmas, even Aniketo was not immune, the air closed around her generating a grave pallid as she threading through the trees and she watch with slight apprehension as the miasma attempted to suck out the last of their life blood from the trees.

_Nothing…every animal gone, no humans, and no youkai. Everything that could escape this….did. _And as Aniketo walked the long path to the west, she hopefully, although she would never call it that, looked for some sign of the normal animals the roam the forest, but there were none.

Nothing.

No calling of birds, no scrapping of claws, and no scampering of small animals through the bushes. All around her was a soundless bleakness and here death reined supreme, with an unrelenting air of malice pleasure.

Aniketo had passed many burned out and sacked villages, villages that rung in her senses with an unbelievable amount of hate, terror and fear that settle in the air around them causing her to experience their emotions, _I wander what could have killed this forest anything that could destroy an area of this size took a dedicated and destructive mind. _

_So very much unnatural death, I wander what happened here? _Emptiness was a concept that Aniketo understood, but she understood that this was an emptiness that screamed something very bad had happened here. It was enough to even make her fill fear and little did that.

_I don't lik--No, emotions are a weakness…there is nothing to fear here. They are simple ghosts. _Aniketo shivered, before forcing emptiness to fill her face, forcing emptiness into her soul. She thought only of her blind obeisance to another, a blinding abstention of thought that marked how she would do anything for this one.

Since her creation it had always been thus, Aniketo seemed to have an on and off switch, she either felt an uncontrollable violent flood of emotions or was blank as a freshly washed green slate chalk board waiting to be written on.

_I don't like this place… _she thought deep within her mind.

Although she didn't know it, this war of emotions was caused by the mixing of opposites forces within her blood—the twisted melting together of miko blood with the black blood of Naraku, the blood fought an unyielding battle within her for control of her mind and destiny.

Her miko blood fought a continuous battle to purify the black blood she had inherited from Naraku while his blood continually attempted to defile and corrupt the miko blood she had inherited from Kagome, it was a cycle that left her in constant state of anxiety.

While the miko blood cringed at the destruction around her the blood of Naraku found the destruction beautiful and he basked in the thought that all this destruction was a result of his powers.

Aniketo continued to walk towards the mountains.

_Foolish girl. Does she not realize that she is mine, mine to do with as I wish? Does she not recognize my masterpiece, I have shaped the very world around her. _Naraku sighed in annoyance as he coldly analyzed the thoughts racing though his golem's mind, _Why doesn't Aniketo understand that all she is and can every be is my blank slate, a blank slate that I have created deliberately so that I can write my plans on her with out interference from her emotions or desires. _

He smile with smug malice, _and I will _but he also knew a simple fact, as with all blank slates if it was left unattended anyone or anything could write on them, and thus altering his plans for her and this he would not allow. He hissed and growled, _Something is attempting to write on my blank slate._ _No, the girl is mine I chose if she lives or dies, I gave her life and substance. She is mine. _

_Mine. Yes, the girl is mine and no amount of bitching about wanting or having feelings, _he thought, _would change that_. _The girls' mine, my creation, my golem, to do with as I see fit and as long as she is useful she lives but after that…_

He hadn't put up with that bitch Kagura trying to betray him at every turn and he would not put up with this little bitch either, with the remembered pleasure of Kagura's screams echoing though his mind he smiled as he remembered each and every punishment he had meld out to that betraying bitch.

_Such wonderfully delicious screams, music to my ears. _he thought as he went back to the days he had the jewel within his hand, Naraku's face hardened he would have it again and nothing would stop him. He would not allow the idiotic ramblings of this detachment to destroy his plans either—he would be free and that bitch Kagome would pay with everything she held dear.

_Yes, the miko will pay. _She would pay just as he had planned, no matter what, _If I have to sacrifice the world that miko bitch will pay. _But as with any great general Naraku understood that plans sometimes had to be change…but even then he was very good at having counter plans ready when needed.

_How strange they are. _She had taken to watching the souls within her bottle—and was…confused. Aniketo had enjoyed the taste of their sweet, gentle memories and entered a world she didn't really understand.

Many of the memories were of laughter, happy, loving memories even…young children secure in the love of their parents. They laughing with abandon in the presence of their parents as they would sit around a smoky fire in the evening after the work of the day had been finished.

Another memory that she enjoyed _Hmm, enjoyed? _was that of an elderly woman, who had remembered growing old together with her husband, they beloved children surrounding them as they aged and new grandchildren were born during their declining years…their joy with being together as the end of their lives drew near.

Happiness, love, laughter.... What did these really mean to any of her souls? To her? _My father would say that these emotions are weaknesses that lead to dependence on others for survival, they are better left undiscovered and unexplored, feeling and emotions that I would be better off if I left abandoned in the empty villages behind us. _

_But still I wonder what it would be like to have these emotions? To be allowed to feel what you want. _What did these emotions really mean? How or why did her souls possess these? And why didn't she? She knew she wanted and…needed yes, needed these emotions, most specially love. _I have wonder, why are these emotion denied to me? Everyone leaves, mother abandons us…abandons me, what is wrong with me? _

_I hurt them, terrified them. She feared me so. _Hana's face flashed before her eyes, the terror and fear as her soul had left her, the terror and fear had not been for herself but for the man, and he his desire had been to save her. They had desire a life together. _Such terror she felt at the last, I did not like father forcing me to do that. He makes me do things I really didn't want to do, why did he have to do that to me? _

_Why? _Aniketo understood loyalty, devotion, fear, terror, and yes, even pain. Those gifts, if one could call them that and her father did, Aniketo wasn't really sure that she wanted to but these she had received from her father, hard lessons learned in spades.

_Father must come first. He must be saved. _She repeated to herself again and again.

_Loyalty to father…_ Naraku—that was the first rule that he had taught her, her father he must be her world, she must be devotion to him, and only him. Her duty was to free him from his vile prison no matter the cost. She must be strong and loyal to help him unleash a torrent of pain on those who had imprisoned him so wrongfully.

_Fear…_ Next, father had taught her a lesson in fear, fear most especially of being alone…that he would not speak to her…that he would abandon her, as the other had, _Mother… _leaving her alone to her empty thoughts, with no one to care that she even existed. _Leave her to the black shadows that come in the night. _

Aniketo shivered in fear at the thought.

_Surviving life is surviving pain. For pain is life and life is pain. From pain comes the strength to shape the world in your image. _Aniketo chanted her father's words to herself, the lessons her father had taught her were harsh lessons that were necessary for their survival.

_Terror…_ Aniketo quivered wanting to curl up in a ball, the next lesson she had learned had been terror of the darkness that existed inside of her. Not terror of just the darkness but the light in the darkness. Fire.

_Punishment for failure. Pain…the smell of flesh burning. _Aniketo could smell it even now, as she remembered how she came by the spider shaped scar that covered her most of her back and trailed onto her sides. Father had punished her for failing a test. Naraku had taken control of her body and used her own hands to hold a burning branch to her back thus burning the marks into her.

_From life springs the darkness within us all. From pain comes strength. From darkness fear and from fear comes failure. Know the dark, as you know the light and never know failure. _It was a darkness that radiated out from the shadows, a coiling, swirling chaos that was hazardous as it attempted to take control of her. _The shadows show me a life that never happened…a little girl with pink pigtails playing in a courtyard. A woman's beloved face graced with a smile, an old man in a priests robes, a younger brother playing in a room…a beloved boy…with dog ears…_

Painfully Aniketo braced herself, these false memories were painful to her they cause havoc with in her mind and made her want to stop herself from absorbing the life energy of the souls she needed to save her father.

_These are not important now. Father is what is important. _Aniketo was used to pain and punishment when she failed him, failure was not acceptable—ever.

_He loves me, he does…he teaches me so that I will be strong, able to protect myself. _She thought, _Hislessons__ were not taught for the sake of malice pain or punishment these were only the lessons taught to her to make her a better daughter._ __

Disturbed Aniketo turned away from them, as she chanted. _They were. Father loves me. Father only wants me to be strong. Father does care for me…he does! He must or I will be alone. _

She hugged herself.

Aniketo had come to understand that these lessons were…gifts as father would say, his lessons in the life of a youkai. Harsh lessons, yes, but necessary lessons, life as a youkai was not easy he had to teach her so that she would survive in a world without him to there to protect her.

Aniketo again looked into her pretty bottle and feeling, they were wonderful, such wonderful feelings washed over her and through her.

_Father says that strength is everything and emotions are nothing. But the so very pretty, bright souls in my bottle…such wonderful feelings they hold. So needful of each other, such wonderfully needful things. I'll wonder… Could I ever feel such wonderful things for someone else? _

Aniketo held the brilliantly shimmering bottle up to her eyes for closer look. _So very bright. So shiny, so full life, even in the grip of death. My souls even in death have everything I've ever wanted in this short life of mine. _

Brightness. _Why do others feel so much and see such colors, why? _Her world never changed—cold and gray, bare. Filled with death… And unending loneliness. Much like the landscape around her—dead …that was the world she understood and had been born into.

Aniketo sighed in disappointment as she sadly hide from herself, yes, fear, pain, abandonment and terror those where the coins of her world, the only coinage she knew how to use—the only nourishment she had received from her parents. These ingredients were what that had been used to make the feast upon which she dined daily. _I am alone. _

_But not for long. _

But secretly deep within herself, Aniketo found herself wanting more…she wanted these emotions she felt from her souls.

Happiness, joy and love.

But that she knew that it most likely would never come to be.

She continued to walk west towards the mountains.

Naraku almost rolled his eyes and sneered as he read his daugh…detachment's thoughts. _Fool. Ahhhh... That miko bitch, Kagome, has always interfered in what is not her affair. If not with her simple presence in the world then with her cursed blood. Growlllllllllllllll. I can't wait to kill this little fool. Her very presence in this world pains me, that I have been reduced to depending on this, this worthless...Creature. _

Naraku sneered as his mind raced with plans for the future, contingencies had to be made in case of failure. A vague thought from the mind of another slowly, gently began to insinuate itself into his mind as Naraku worked on plans within plans within plans, they would have been beautiful if they had not been put to such an evil use.

_Yesss, it should work. Yessss. Just what I need to gain control again. _

But his mind kept drifting back to his current problem…the girl…

_Even though I have joined my blood with the miko's blood it still attempts to purify her of my presences. It fights the corruption that my blood spreads in her. Makes her want things she has no right to. She is my puppet, my construction, just as my golem puppets were. _

Naraku thoughts centered on the girl, his delicate little detachment. _Love, happiness, bah. Have I not taught her that hate is the only true emotions, as power is the only worthwhile goal? Every thing else is simple illusion meant to fool the foolish—a sweet lie told to satisfy weaklings who have not the strength to fight and seize what they want… _

Naraku sneer melted into a cold, nasty smiled, _But don't worry my idiotic little bitch, it's a lesson I will teach you... _he thought to himself.

He couched his voice into a cloud of gentle warm and filled it with love as he spoke to her, **_'I have a new plan, child, a plan….soon, child, very soon we will be together.'_**

**_'Yes, father, I would like that, but how? I have not collected enough souls to free you yet and every village we have come to has been deserted or decimated.'_**

**_'Soon, child, soon now, go quickly to my castle, I will explain once we reach it. Now you must hurry, I grow so weak and time is wasting away, you must hurry my child, before it's too late.'_**Naraku deceitfully infused his voice with the beginnings of pain and weakness as it faded out. **_'Ahhh, the pain.'_**

_Somehow, she is slowly breaking away from me. She dares to ask more and more of me. Where once she would of simple agreed with me—now she questions. How…it's the blood, the miko's blood, attempting to purify her of my influence. I will not allow it. _Naraku seethed silently to himself and then spoke,_ **'Hurry, daughter, I fade so, this prison drains me so. Hurry.'**_

Aniketo quickened her step as she continued to walk towards the mountains in the west.

**_'Aniketo there below us, a village, what do you see?'_** Naraku asked her, his mind on his plans to hurt the miko Kagome.

**_'It's just a village father, the souls are gone, such a shame they are wasted, and the only things that remain are many weak remnants of them…pale ghosts of remembered pain and horror.'_** Aniketo replied as she carefully scanned the village with her sight.

She looked into the other world, the world that rested just below ours and saw white and gray colored wisps that hung and thrashed around in a macabre dance of pain and suffering.

Screams of pain filled her ears, their hate colored her mind, terror slowly began to cloud her vision and her mind began to seal with the spirits as they began to coil and worm they way into her to take control, when...

**_'Aniketo!_****_ AWAKEN! Aniketo, awaken, NOW! Aniketo!'_** Harshly and painfully Naraku's voice grated and thundered through her mind, leaving behind it pins of stabbing pain as punishment for falling into such an easily avoidable trap, as he brought her back for the grasping hands of the ghoulish phantoms.

Aniketo moaned in pain, **_' Sorry, sorry, sorry...'_**

She repeated the phrase again and again in hopes of her father releasing his painfully, punishing grip on her mind. **_'Sorry, sorry, sorry, Father it won't happen again, I promise, I promise, I can control, I can...I CAN!'_**

**_'Foolish girl, have you learned nothing from me?! Stupid, idiotic…why do I bother with you? You must control yourself at all times.'_** Naraku hissed into her mind, increasing the pain as he drove his lesson home, he ripped out her budding emotions again just for good measure, before releasing his grip on her and allowing her fall to the ground in relief. **_'To lose yourself to mere remnants…Memories only._****_ Have you learned nothing that I have taught you?'_**

Aniketo laid curled up into a fetal position there on the cold, hard ground, afraid to move until he gave his permission, **_'I'mmm… sor..sorry, father they surprised me. I'm sorry!'_**

**_'Excuses are not acceptable. Do not fail me again, Aniketo or I may decide you are worthless. Get up. Now.' _**He hissed. Naraku waited until she shakily rose to her feet, then he ordered as he gazed out of her eyes, **_'Focus again on the village and gather the ghosts. See if this time you can keep your mind.'_**

**_'Yes, father,'_** Trembling with fear and pain, Aniketo focused carefully on the phantoms below, she had heard the threat carried in her father's last few words and she knew what failing again would mean.

She carefully gathered the struggling phantoms, **_'I have them.'_**

**_'Now, open your mind to me,' _**He seized her mind with ruthless control.

**_'Yes, father,'_** she opened her mind to him and felt him take control as he wrestled with the phantoms, forcing them to his will.

**_'Now send them out'_**

Finished with the phantoms, once more she began to walk towards the massive mountains in the distance.

­­­­­­­­­

_Just the trouble I need right now, when I have a disobedient bitch to train. _

Sesshoumaru carefully examined the strange group that had invaded his home, Inuyasha's pack… there was much to say about them. They had always been a strange lot…whoever heard of a monk, taijiya, miko, hanyou, youkai pup and a fire neko all running together?

_Trouble every one of them. _Sesshoumaru hid a sigh of exasperation.

And who traces in with them but a strange woman with a enough energy glowing around her to kill half the youkai in this castle. _Hmm, the woman scent, so strange she smells as of being from neither youkai nor human stock? What do these people what with us? _

_Trouble. Hn, I knew that bitch would be trouble from the moment I saw her lying in that well and another fact I need to get from her, where was she for the last five years? Her arrival from that well, yes that was definitely a story he needed. _

_The nerve theses humans possess. To come here to the Western Lands castle without being summoned. Humans daring to enter the Western Lands without me giving my permission…they should know that I don't like humans, its command knowledge. _His eyes narrowed, red gathered, as they began filling with rage and an increasing loud and threatening growl sound came out of his throat as the members of Inuyasha's pack crowded around Kagome. _If that monk--_

"Kagome, we came to save you! I smelled you and Sesshoumaru," The pup dared to turn and growled at he, Sesshoumaru, Shippo's proud voice carried across the room."So we came here to rescue you."

"Save her from what pup, her mate?" Sesshoumaru growled his eyes narrowing before he rolled them up in displeasure, as he heard the kitsune pup state that they had come to rescue her from him. He began to stock the group. _These fools rescue_ _his bitch? She didn't needed to be rescued, Kagome was exactly were she should be, in my arms, in my bed. How dare them. She was his. _

He looked at his young bitch, his Kagome, when he heard the kit squeal in fear at his growl and bury his head under her chin. Sesshoumaru paused and watched as Kagome held the whimpering pup in her arms and gently calmed him.

Her soft, delicate hands ran lovely thorough the pup's hair as she whispered gentle motherly words to him and then she did the most dishonorable thing Sesshoumaru had ever seen, she turned a pleading look to him, and with a sigh all he could think was. _Shit, I'm stuck with him. _

_Mine. _His jaw hardened at the thought of losing her, _I care not if Inuyasha come back tomorrow, she is now mine. If they had come for his bitch they would die, and die slowly for their insolent. I will kill them personally. _

"What do you want here?" his voice thundered and crackled through the room.

**Hey everyone. I hope like my story so far.**

**Please read and review if you do.**


	12. Chapter 12 Meetings

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Disclaimer: Inuyasha is the property of its creator. **

Author Notes: Hi! Thank you for reviewing.

**Sesshoumaru**—I have had complaints on the way that Sesshoumaru treats Kagome. Sesshoumaru is a complex creature—he's lord of his land, an aristocrat with major delusion of grandeur, proud and unyielding in the extreme, deadly with crossed and would not change in his view without a fight—a fight to the death.

Sesshoumaru has had Kagome for less than five days…No one is going to change their views on life in that short a time. No matter what anyone says—it doesn't really happen.

Sesshoumaru is not—no matter how much we may wish he would—going to let Kagome in without a fight. He desires her and wants her or at least ownership of her…but if anyone was going to change in this new relationship, it probable would not be Sesshoumaru—at least not in only five days. Besides that off those five days four were spent in bed—not a lot of time for Kagome to work on changing him.

Another fact, Sesshoumaru is a feudal Lord and is **not** going to be all lightness and fluffiness—he has attempted to kill his own brother simple for breathing the same air that he breathes. Sesshoumaru would, in my estimate, **always** call the shots.

As for Sesshoumaru calling Kagome a bitch, Hello…he's an inuyoukai—a dog. Female dogs are called bitches and Sesshoumaru does not see it as an insult. It's would, at least in his mind, be the same as if he called her 'woman' or 'girl'. And although I believe that Kagome is probable still going to be insult by the term…she is an inuyoukai bitch—a female dog now and I think Sesshoumaru would use it because he can get away with it.

Plus, if we are truthful, as a group humans have been known to take a simple non-disparaging term from one culture and turn it into something derogatory…but to that original culture it's not dirty or derogatory. Look into how many ways there are to give the middle finger.

**Kagome**—OK, I have also had complaints about her as well, that she is acting OOC but I don't think so. My Kagome has had to face heartache, and she has grown up a lot. She is not going to react like a 15 year old any more. She much smarter than that now. There's an old saying—'You get more fly with honey than vinegar.' She is not the little immature girl that once became enraged because of something as unimportant as a name.

I going to say something that will probable make everyone mad—I think that in most fan fiction Kagome relies on that rosary way to much…it makes her seems cruel and hateful. In fact, to my knowledge and hopefully I right or I suppose I will hear about it, in the anime Kagome does not use it when there are other means at her disposal.

Why should Inuyasha want to be with or love someone who reaction to a fight is to hit or hurt them? Yes, I know that she needs to use the rosary to get home…but really sometime people take it much too far. There is no different in the unnecessary use of that rosary then if a man would hit a woman or vice versa—neither of which I think is right.

The rosary should only be used to save her life not as a punishment for name calling. It's cruel to use it any other way and does not reflect on her personality in a good light.

**Shippo—I LIKE SHIPPO! I LIKE SHIPPO! I REALLY, REALLY LIKE SHIPPO! **I don't think that Shippo is annoying, he's a kid and kid's say very—make that very, very, and yes, very, stupid things before they think. I also think that he one of the most endearing characters in the anime. He really loves Kagome and would do any thing for her. Very few people give that type of devotion.

Now that my rant in finished, I want to thank you for taking the time to read what I have written and to thank for your reviews of my fanfiction…I wouldn't mind hearing your ideas for upcoming chapters if you want to leave them in your reviews.

Again thanks for reviewing,

**_Cerulean Rose_**

Ps. there is a lot of cussing in this chapter.

**Chapter 12**

****

The air became still with menace.

With a look of dead calm on his face and a flick of his deadly claws Sesshoumaru prepared to attack the group standing in the doorway. Sesshoumaru glided as he moved towards the others with a deadly grace that easily screamed out his intentions—a predator stalking his prey.

_Oh, Kami. Damn it, this is not something I need right now! _Almost afraid to take a breath incase it waste valuable time_, _Kagome acted instinctively placing herself in front of him and between her friends and him, giving them her somewhat dubious protection when his low threatening growls began to filling the room.

_Shit, shit, shit, shit. _Kagome sighed _why was it never easy? _She thought, as she came to the group's rescue, his anger flooded her mind as tugging at their newly formed bond. _Shit, stupid man, they're not even doing anything._

Perceiving a threat to his group and the only family he had left, Shippo began to emit a low guttered growl at Sesshoumaru from the safety of Kagome arms.

Kagome shushed and gently shifted Shippo onto her left arm.

"Sesshoumaru—" Fearful for her friends when he refused to look at her she moved in front of Sesshoumaru and placed her hand on his chest, "Sesshoumaru, No!..."

She knew that simple asking him wasn't enough when his eyebrow slide up into his hair at her audacious in thinking she could stop him with a simple hand on his chest.

_Well, that didn't go over to good. I suppose that Mr. High and Might is not use to hearing the word. _Kagome felt her lips quark at that thought. _No, Lord of all he Surveys wouldn't like that word._

"Please, don't. They're my friends and they are naturally worried about me."

Sesshoumaru looked down at the pleading face of the silly creature that believed she could hold him back. "I know exactly why they are here I heard it from the kit's lips. They are here to rescue you from my dastardly hands." Sesshoumaru said in a hard voice filled with sarcasm that sent frozen chills down Kagome's spine.

_Does she really think she could stop me? _He looked down at her little, delicate hand as it rested on his chest, _did_ _she really believe that that small hand could stop him from tearing them limb from limb if I desire it?_ "Do you really think you can stop me if I decide they need to die?"

"You ass…Don't you dare." Kagome felt her temper go as she hissed out the words in a low voice then growled before she thought.

Sesshoumaru lips twisted slightly in amusement as he began to crowd her personal space. "Stop me if you think you can, little bitch."

"Don't you dare." Kagome forced herself not to step away from him.

"Give over to me and I can be merciful."_ I can not-- will not back down in this matter. I will not be my father! _Sesshoumaru thought, his hand reached out and trailed it lovingly down her face.

He caught her eyes with his hard ones and would not release her gaze. _I will rule. _He sniffed, Abigeru was in the hallway.

"Abigeru. Come. Take Kagome… and the boy to my chambers. "

Sesshoumaru leaned down and spoke softly to her although the words were hard, "You will go with Abigeru to our room, now, or you will face the consequence of your refusal. I will take that rodent from you and cast him out."

Kagome's eyes widened in shock at the threat—_did he really—_

"Your try it, you bastard. He's mine…mine! And he's not a RODENT!" She started out at a whisper and ended with a yell while Shippo gave a sound between a whimper and hiss at being threatened and called such an insulting name.

Hey, I'm a kitsune, not a roden…" Shippo started at the same time as Kagome, before Kagome smacked his nose again.

"I'm talking." Kagome said angrily. "Now hush, and you, you bastard, he is not a rodent."

"Well I not." Shippo muttered crossly to himself, crossed his arms over his chest and pouted as Sesshoumaru ignored him and Kagome gave him a threatening look.

_Jerk. Back to the important matter, before blood is spilled. _Kagome turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru, "Sesshoumaru, you don't have to do this. There no threat to you and they didn't do anything to be punished for."

Sesshoumaru decided to allow her to turn the conversation or at least for now. "They dare to come here without permission, for that alone I could kill them…that they have the audacity to come for what is mine makes their offence worse still. I have every right to defend my house, my mate."

"They were just worried about me, that all. They didn't do anything how many times do I have to say that.

"They did do something, little one they have challenge me in my very home. I have every right to kill them, however, I can be merciful acknowledge me and I will spare them.

"…" Kagome didn't know what to say to him, _I won't be threatened_.

"Then have it your way, my dear Kagome. Have it your way." He began to move around her before stopping when Kagome grabbed his sleeve. _Ask, my dear, ask and I will stop. _

_I have to stop this, he'll kill them. I…I can't be afraid any more. _Kagome thought as she held his sleeve tightly in her grasp. _Stop this…please._

_…afraid any more._ Sesshoumaru hid his smile and carefully keep his face blanked as he felt the first blossoming of their bond as her thoughts flooded his mind. _Stop this…please._

"I will give them a change to leave, my dear." Pulling away from her, Sesshoumarus' face hardened into granite and he began to walk once more towards the group standing in the doorway, "But they will not take what I have made mine."

_Oh, Kami, they'll never leave without me. They'll fight and… He's going to kill them and they won't have a change against him at all. I have to stop him, but how-- _

Frightened, Shippo was shivering from the words flying over his head.

"Shippo. You must do as I say, exactly as I say." Kagome desperately whispered to him before she set him down and pushed him behind her.

"Stay out of the way. Over in the corner." She said with a hard look that said he had better obey her or else.

_ Wow. That look…Poppa. He use to right before a figh— _Shippo whimpered as he remembered that tone from his father then he nodded in agreement before scampering into a corner of the room to get out of the way in case there was a fight.

Kagome attempted to summon her miko powers—Nothing something force them down every time she attempted to focus them on Sesshoumaru. _What about the youkai powers? Midoriko couldn't really help me with them. How do I start?_

Kagome focused on her youkai reaching deep into that new part of herself as she attempted to coax it to life._ There something…just out of reach. _She took a deep breath and sent her mind deeper.

She felt the youkai slowly ascend, stirring slightly as if it was the tinder whereas her will was the fire added to it, before it meet a torrent of rain and began to fizzle out as the necklace seemed to reach into her and cancel her effort. _Shit. This again._

Kagome growled and reached up attempting to pull the necklace from her neck when a shock ran though her hand, stinging it. She released the necklace as the pain began it intensify. _Damn, Now what?_

_I can't defeat him wearing this cursed necklace, I can't call any of my powers miko or youkai against him. This is giving me a headache. _Kagome hardened herself realizing she had to act quickly she shirted around in front of Sesshoumaru once more as she saw Sango and Miroku preparing for an attack. _I won't be afraid anymore and if he wants me he has to take all of me. That includes my family._

_I have to stop this. How? _"My Lor--" _Shit,_ She stuttered, _Kami above, I hate doing this. He'll be impossible to live with. _

"My Lord," Kagome nervously licked her lips, took a deep breathe and stood on tip toes to leaned up to his ear and whispered, "Husband, if you do this, if you do not stop, you'll have to kill me with them."

Sesshoumaru rubbed his check against hers as he slowly slide his hand into her hair enjoying the silkily soft strands, the blackness again the white skin of his hand and held her in place against him while the other trailed down her ribcage to her hip. "I will say again, they will not take what I have made mine. Remember your rodent. Don't rebel against me in this matter."

In a soft, intimate voice pitched for just her, Sesshoumaru warm lips touched her ear. "Acknowledge me be my mate as it was meant to be. Acknowledge me as master of this house, as your alpha male and I will not kill them, I will even be generous to them. I will even go so far, as a boon to you, to our new mating as to offer them my protection."

_Shit, generous my ass—Bastard. He's going to make me beg. _Kagome eyes hardened she could hear it in his voice, he would not allow this to go unchallenged, _this__ is another chain he wants to place on me. _

Kagome knew, he would do whatever he had to in order to maintain his peoples respect, _and their respect means he has to control me…and he do it, he go so far as to… he will even kill Miroku and Sango if she and they didn't acknowledge him as their alpha male. _

_I have to stop this. I have to acknowledge him…Shit. _Kagome slowly sank down on her heels as her hair pulled through his fingers, what she was about to do would change her life forever.

_Bastard,_ _after this there will be no going back and I'll be trapped._ She thought taking a deep breath before finally unable to put it off any longer she looked over at her friends, _I have to do this. This time I'm all they have, there's no Inuyasha leaping in to save us. _

"F—I—N—E." She gritted out the word one syllable at a time forcing them from behind her teeth.

She formally addressed him as she bowed to him. _I suppose that putting it in inu youkai terms would meet with the bastard's approval._

"My Lord—husband," She gritted her teeth each word seemed to be yanked from her, "please allow me to introduce you to my pack, Sango, beta female and Miroku, beta male and my adopted son, Shippo, now your son." She gestured to each of them as she introduced them and waited as he gave each a small nod of acknowledgment.

Sesshoumaru want to laugh but he controlled himself when he heard her grit her teeth and the rolling indignation in her mind as he calmly waited.

_What was that?_ Almost falling over, eyes wide in shock, disbelieving, what she just heard, Sango almost fell down as she moved out of her crouch her at Kagomes' words. _Did she really say…_

_What was that?_ From where he stood beside Sango with his staff ready Miroku could only feel distressed and bewilderment as he also straightened and turned too look at Sango. _Did she really say…_

_Husband!?_

_In for a penny in for a pound, _Kagome bitterly thought of the old English saying, she looked at Sango and Miroku, "Sango, Miroku, this is my mate and lord, Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands."__

_What? How? When? WHY! _Sango looked at Miroku, her eyes wide and astonished as shook coursed though her, _Sesshoumaru and Kagome_—_mat…_she shuddered at the very thought of it. _Eeck…yuck._

Wide eyed, Miroku and Sango looked back at Kagome who stood fretfully in front of the threatening inu youkai lord. Sango could read the pleading in Kagome eyes a pleading that changed into a silent order that passed from sister to sister.

_Acknowledge him,_ Kagomes' eyes conveyed so much emotion—begged, demanded of them all at once, Sango once again looked at Miroku who's eyes where as wild as she knew her had to be.

Something silent passed between them as they came to an agreement. Answering Kagomes' plea, they once more looked at Sesshoumaru and bowed.

"Sesshoumaru-Sama." They murmured together.

* * *

_Poor little love. Sesshoumaru didn't have to threaten him. Calling him a rodent. Jerk. _Kagome leaned back quietly in her back rest, as she set on the floor cushion, her attention focused on the boy wrapped around her middle.

_He's going to make me go… He is. _Shippo sobbed against her as he sat on her lap his arms wrapped around her middle and showed no sign of letting go any time soon. _He hates me._

Sesshoumaru had left her with Shippo when he had refused to release her and he had taken the others to his study leaving her with orders that she was to follow when she calmed Shippo down. _That jerk, Shippo wouldn't need calmed down if he hadn't scared him half to death. _

Kagome rocked him, gently muttering to him.

_Poor little dear. Mom—Mommy? _She smiled, _Yes, Mommy _"I got you. Shushhhhh, it's ok now, Mommy got you."

Shippo stopped sobbing mid cry as his eyes lightened up although the tears still fell, "Mo—Mommy, I can call you Mommy…really? You'll be my Mom now? Forever?"

"Yes, you can call me mom or mommy, whichever you want. It's ok, now. Shhh, Sweetheart. It's ok and yes, forever. It's going to be alright, Shippo, I love you and missed you so much."

She gently patted his long hair and tail in smoothing motions as tears once more filled his eyes as she read worry there. "We're together now. Everything Ok now...Shhhh."

"Itt—ttt—t's not. H—ee…" _he said he'd send me away…_Kagome hugged him to her as Shippo stuttered heartbreakingly, his words broken by his sobs, before he tried again. "H—ee's not go—ing to let me keep y---ou, Sess—Sess..hou…maruuu will send m-eee away. H—ee said so. Then I'll be all alone again. I don't want to be alone again, Moooommy, I need you."

"Nothing will separate us now, Shippo. I promise you." Kagome held his innocent little face in her hands and looked him over with gentle love filled eyes as she tenderly tilted his small face up and then wiped his tears away.

She kissed him on the forehead and hugging him tight. "I promise, Shippo, no matter what I have to do…I'll do it. I love you. Shhhhh, baby, it's going to be alright."

"It won't." _He'll take you away, you'll have other children and won't want me anymore. _

"Shh, it's ok, I promise, I'm here to stay this time. No matter what. Shh. I'm not leaving, I promise. Shh." She muttered the words again and again, hoping that he would believe her.

"Love you, mommy. Don't leave me."

"I won't, I promise." There was a wealth of promise in those words. Kagome forced herself not to cry when she heard his muttered words, it was so very painful to see him so unsure and fearful but instead she sat there and comforted him.

She tenderly settled Shippo against her shoulder and began to rock her little man as she rubbed his back until his sobs finally began to lessen and he fell asleep against her.

"I love you too, Shippo. I'm not leaving."

* * *

_Magic.___

Sesshoumaru scented the air, not with just his nose but with his other senses as well. He could taste the magic, feel it as it touched his skin, and touch it with his mind as it swished around the room bleeding in powerful waves from the woman sitting in front of him.

As he sat with his normal fastidious appearance behind his desk, his second guarding his back, Sesshoumaru very comportment demanding attention and respect from those around him, he focused his attention on the woman seated before him.

_Yes, great magic. _He almost sighed, _as if this was what he needed now_, a_ deity meddling around in his affairs._

"Why have you come here?" Sesshoumaru paused, his body tensed with annoyance at having to address a being that believe itself to be higher than himself, before adding in grudging respect when the woman's didn't answer, "Kami-sama."

"Because of Naraku." The lady's voice was hard…with the screams of multitudes woven within it who called for justice. "He has returned."

* * *

_Sesshoumaru…ever since we where little he always has to have the last word._Abigeru sighed and rolled her eyes in exasperation at the thought, _he could have been a little gentler with the boy, he's after all only a child. _

As she stood outside the breakfast room and listened to the conversation that was taking place on the other side of the door, Abigeru wandered what he'd been thinking. _Poor little kit.___

Sesshoumaru in his normal high handed manner had ordered her to await Kagome and, after she calmed the kit down, to escort her to his study for the meeting taking place.

Abigeru paced the hall until she finally heard and sensed the boy as he began to fall asleep she quietly opened the door and stepped inside.

"Kagom—" Abigeru started before she was interrupted.

Kagome looked up from Shippo, who was resting limply against her, when she heard Abigeru voice and covered her lips with her index finger and whispered, "Shushhh. Don't wake him. He's been so worried about me…he's exhausted himself and needs the rest."

"Sesshoumaru and your guests are waiting. He wants you there as soon as possible." Abigeru gently whispered back, being careful not to wake the kit.

She walked over to Kagome and started to take Shippo from her, "Here let me take him and I put him to bed."

"No. He's ok. Help me up, I'll take him and follow you." Kagome whispered back as she moved Shippo away from her. She gently rubbed Shippos' back. _Mine, besides I like to hold him. _

_I supposes there's no reason to be anger with her anymore, is there. _Kagome sighed._ This is not her fault._

"As you wish," Abigeru nodded taking Kagome's arm as she slide her hand around the other woman's back, before gently lifting while Kagome leaned forward and pushed up with her feet.

Thud-thump, thud-thump

Kagome paused, a pulse in the air….Rage…

A tingle slide up her spine, _what? Was that?_

Kagome opened herself up and her senses where flooded with information as they came alive and she was flooded with a myriad of vibrations.

"Wait, Aberigu, do you feel that?" She asked the other woman as she stood in the center of the room and it seemed to spin around her.

_Danger—anger—pain—rage—trapped _

An aura, Kagome shivered, it was an aura. Stiflingly evil. _Yes,_ _that was what she was sensing_ _the building of a threatening aura--_

"Feel what?" Aberigu asked as she looked around before she began to move towards the window.

_It approaching the castle and it was searching for somethi—no someone. _Kagome focused more.

_It has a human signature—but faded and torn._

"Wait. Come back here for a minute." Kagome stopped her by gripped the sleeve of Aberigu kimono and pulled her close. The tingle became a tremble and then it became a shutter as it race up and down Kagome back.

_Danger—pain—fury…demand—help us! _

Kagome tightened her grip on Aberigu kimono and pulled her closer.

She turned and looked around the room, before looking of to the east.

There. _Something bad is coming this way. It's strongest towards the east and it's almost here._

"Can't you feel it, Aberigu?

_Feel what? _Aberigu looked around and shook her head.

"How can you not feel that?" Again Kagome looked into the distance.

"It's coming, it's almost here. Stay close to me…they're coming." Kagome stretched out with her mind as Midoriko had taught her, phantoms—ghosts… _Searching for something… no, not something but someone. They have a signature they…looking for? Who?_

"Their coming?" Aberigu repeated. "I don't understand, I don't sense anyth…"

"Shippo?!" Kagome gasped and then screamed as dark shades began to enter the room, screaming with fury, she threw up a shield instinctually seeking to protect her child.

_Feed us!_

_Impossible._Sesshoumaru looked at the woman before him, _Inuyasha may have been incompetent in many areas but not in this…and Naraku had been a great threat to Kagome. He would not have allowed him to live._

"Naraku is dead. Inuyasha and these killed him" Sesshoumaru calmly stated the fact as if speaking to a nitwit.

"He is returning." She repeated with one eyebrow rising in disbelieve that he would talk to her in that tone.

"The only way the dead return is when an item of power, such as, the Tensaiga, is used and those items are very rare, very rare indeed."

He paused to think, "I know of only three and of those two are lost to the world. I certainly didn't raise Naraku..." Sesshoumaru simple stated that fact, only to see the worried look that passed from between the monk and the exterminator, _What__? What do they know that I don't?_

"Only a fool would raise him" Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at them.

Sango and Miroku avoid his eyes. __

_Hm__…, secrets._He calmly raised one eyebrow while he looked at them and ordered, "Speak."

"Umm," Sango looked to Miroku for help. _He's not going to like this._

"I say again, humans, speak." Sesshoumaru ordered again, growling at them, this time barely able to control his irritation at the human's dawdling when he needed information.

Miroku reacted to the threat that was awash within that one word and rushed out. "He's trapped but still alive, Kagome and Inuyasha cut him off from his power and sealed him away."

Sesshoumaru stood and leaned forward menacingly over his desk, he wanted answers and he wanted them now. "Explain."

Sango and Miroku exchanged looks…

"It all started at the well and it ended there as well. Naraku was finally ready, he had cast off his human heart as if it was garbage, and he had gathered most of the shikon no tama when he came. He attacked us for the last time…" Sango began the story.

"And that's what happened." Miroku concluded as a scream echoed in the air.

Kagome's scream.

* * *

**_ 'Aniketo, look there, look very carefully at the mountain to your left, there in the darkness shaped like a crow, do you see?'_** Naraku directed her, focusing though her eyes as he looked for his castle in the eerie light absorbing darkness. **_'There, child, do you see. My castle is there.'_**

Aniketo looked carefully into the darkness searching for the hidden castle. _Oh, there, a gleam. _**_'Ah, yes, father, I do. There towards the tip of the beak is a glimmer of reflected light.'_**

**_'Yessss…very good child. There, go there.'_** Naraku's pleasure could be felt in the air surrounding his casket, and Hana's little soul shivered in fear as she floated before it as his dark, dangerous thoughts flooded her mind. _Soon I will be free, the shiken no tama will be mine and that bitch will pay. Before I'm done with her I will own her very soul. _

Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeak

**_'Father, what am I looking for?'_** Aniketo asked as she pushed the large half-broken down door open, it let out a screech that sound as if the hounds of hell had be let lose upon the countryside.

**_'My chambers,'_** His voice boomed in as it echo though her mind and a picture began to form, '**_find my chambers. Look for shoji screens white with two black and red dragons intertwined on them… Look along the walls in the courtyard for the shoji screens.'_**

In her mind, a picture formed of the screens she was looking for, and then another picture took it's place of the room she was to enter… a large futon dressed in black silk that sit in the middle of the room with blood-red sheer silks hangings that cascading around it as they hung from the ceiling.

Along one wall was a large black chest set between two shoji screens and against yet another and beyond the large futon was a shoji screen door that led into a dark room.

**_'And then?'_** She entered the dim inner court yard of the old castle and immediately headed for one of the shoji screens that lined the walls. Bones littered the ground around her.

**_'You will see, now go.'_**

Black and red dragons marked the one of the screens that circled the courtyard. _Yes, these are the ones. _

She pushed the tall door aside on it track and stood looking in.

_Yes, this is it, just as father showed me from his memories. _But this room was not important the vision had focused on the doorway along the left wall. _Father's sitting room, the room where he preformed his magic. _There she would find a low table surrounded by black and red pillows. On the table she would find…

Yes, she needed to go in there. Father answer waited in that room.

**_'Now will you tell me, father,'_** she asked, light's flared to life as she entered the room.

She walked thorough the large room and into the small dressing room attached to it. Her mind flooded with information.

She walked into the room it just as father had pictured it, she smiled her first real smile, there she found what she had been sent to discover.

Father's answer.


End file.
